Dark Truths
by yeknodelttil
Summary: Secrets are hard to keep especially when you try to keep them from the people who care about you the most and dealing with them can be even harder. However when the secrets begin to become complicated with emotions neither Vlad nor Erin is safe. Vlad/Erin ADDED 93!
1. Suspicions

**Dark Truths**

_Author: yeknodelttil_

_Show: Young Dracula_

_Rating: T_

_Genre: Romance_

_Pairing: Vlad/Erin_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Young Dracula. This is purely for the enjoyment of its fans, created by a fan_

_Spoilers: Series 3 of Young Dracula. Episode 7 onwards mainly._

_Summary: Secrets are hard to keep especially when you try to keep them from the people who care about you the most and dealing with them can be even harder. However when the secrets begin to become complicated with emotions neither Vlad nor Erin is safe. Vlad/Erin._

A/N: This is dedicated to my mum who gave me the initial idea for this fic. She mentioned one thing and she's convinced it's true, I'd noticed it before but hadn't given it much thought. I won't say what her comment was until the next posting.

Thank you to all those who read 'The Cursed Saga', you're support was overwhelming.

Also sorry for the rating increase, I thought it was necessary for this fic. All will become clear as to why but I will never increase to an M, so don't worry about that.

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Chapter 1: Suspicions

It really didn't take a genius to figure it out.

Erin could see it the moment he returned but she didn't want to say anything to him. He'd changed but no one else seemed to realise it, no one except her that is.

Now the book was gone there was no point in hiding it anymore. She hated the thought deep down that the only reason she hadn't acted was that she was clinging to the fleeting hope that he could find a cure for Ryan in that stupid book.

There were little signs all along and Erin had noticed each and every one.

That's what angered her – only she'd noticed.

Now it was time to reveal her suspicions.

She couldn't keep the truth hidden any longer; it hurt too much to do so.

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The room was bustling with activity. Renfield was busy cleaning up the dust piles that Sethius had caused – a dozen or so of them in total. The dustpan and brush Renfield used was old fashioned and metal, holes were rusted into it so every scoop he cleared up he lost half of it on his way to dispose of it.

Wolfie wasn't helping matters running through the piles Renfield had created, spreading them out further across the hall.

The Count stood over Renfield dictating where and how he wanted the ash scattered. He wanted to make sure that Sethius could never be resurrected in any shape or form.

Ingrid shadowed her brother in every move he made. She could see him growing more and more frustrated by her, she was eager to learn because she was eager for the power her brother had promised her.

"What do you want Ingrid?" Vlad finally asked his sister, stopping in his tracks and fixing his gaze directly ahead before turning around to face her.

Her tone was full of politeness, "I just want to help." Vlad knew better than to trust her straight away. What he'd promised her would only last for so long before she'd want it all again.

"You can help by finding something else to do?" He questioned cheerfully, "You can put your vampettes somewhere." He suggested. Ingrid glanced over towards them, she'd forgotten about them. They were no longer of any use to her as her brother had given her what she wanted. "Or get rid of Bertrand's 'friends'." He muttered, he didn't like being outnumbered even though he could easily wipe them all out like Sethius had said.

Ingrid seemed to think the latter was more up her street and she cast a sly smile towards Bertrand. He tipped his head in answer, a half smile crossing his face with a quick pout following. Something about that small exchange spoke volumes but what it spoke was a complete mystery.

Her heels clicked across the floor as she made a beeline for Bertrand.

Vlad watched them closely, making a mental note to take care in watching them closely.

Trust was earned and neither Ingrid nor Bertrand had earned his yet. Trust will important to have, wasn't an easy thing to gain.

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Erin slowly crossed the room towards Vlad who'd been caught by Jonno and Mina, his posture was different. He seemed to be struggling to keep his eyes from wandering around the room as he looked at them, he looked… bored.

Although her shoes made no sound on the floor his gaze snapped to her, her but his eyes didn't soften the way they used to and he looked at her with a piercing gaze. Erin tried to smile back at him, she didn't want him to notice how she was feeling.

Jonno seemed to bristle with her being close, Vlad saw how he was acting and glanced towards Erin. Erin seemed to be avoiding Jonno's eyes. She felt guilty about using him and Mina to save Vlad and his family, she'd done the right thing but it didn't mean it was any easier. She was now an outcast amongst their kind. Her and Ryan had been practically brought up by the Guild, her time at Garside Grange was the first time she'd ever been to a normal school.

She'd known what she was sacrificing when she'd done it. It was worth it in her mind, something she'd have to remember whether or not the next few weeks would be trying for her.

Erin heard Vlad's heated reply when she finally listened into the conversation. "I gave you my word." Vlad told them seriously.

"A vampire's word means nothing in our world." Jonno told him, his tone was scathing as he looked at Erin. Erin could see the cogs whirring in his brain, he wanted to send her a scathing comment but he was restraining himself from doing so because of Vlad's presence.

"I've never gone back…" He began angrily but felt Erin's hand come to rest comfortably on his shoulder. He glanced back at her, she nodded slowly. "A written agreement then?" Erin squeezed his shoulder lightly.

"We need to find out the damage you caused first." Jonno spat at Vlad.

"I caused?" Vlad couldn't take the credit for this. It wasn't his doing the casualties on the slayer side. He looked startled at the accusation.

"Jonno." Mina spoke sternly, intervening before the argument got out of hand. "We need to think this over Vlad, everything that has happened. Then we'll give you an answer."

Vlad straightened his posture before slumping down slightly as if remembering he wasn't supposed to stand tall. "Take as long as you need."

Mina nodded beginning to walk away through the crowd, she realised that no footsteps could be heard beside her own. She turned slowly, seeing Jonno hadn't moved from staring at Vlad. Jonno's chest rose and fell angrily and with determination. He glanced every now and again at Erin, resentment in his eyes.

"Come on Jonno." The young slayer snapped to attention, his gaze breaking away from Vlad's. Vlad didn't move, he watched Jonno's actions carefully.

Jonno turned in a military fashion, turning at an angle that could cut glass. He strode deliberately from the room, not once looking back over his shoulder. His crossbow, unloaded, swung limply at his side.

They hadn't acted like this barely half an hour before when they'd helped defeat Sethius. Erin was missing something.

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As soon as they were out of earshot Vlad spoke. "Slayers can't be trusted." He spat quietly making her shudder. She couldn't do this any longer, she definitely needed to talk to him. She pretended she hadn't heard him. Vlad saw her shudder and had no reason to suspect she'd heard him. He hoped she hadn't as it would make things more… complicated for him. "You okay?" He asked her quietly, ducking his head down to catch her gaze and lure her eyes upwards.

"Yeah." She whispered, rubbing her neck from the twinges that remained there from the way Vlad had stretched it. Vlad pulled her hand away and gently placed his own fingers there, caressing the area tenderly, moving up to her jaw. He inspected the area closely, caressing her skin softly. Erin fought not to lean into his touch.

Vlad looked down at where her blue plaid shirt had slipped from her shoulders. He could see vivid purple marks already appearing. He undid the top button. Erin let out a gasp and tried to pull away. He looked at her, his eyes commanding. Erin froze and nodded – she didn't have any other choice. She only wished she'd actually put another shirt on underneath this one. With his right hand he pushed her shirt away from her shoulder, inspecting the marks. She had clear thumb prints from where he'd held her firmly. He closed his eyes and looked away before moving behind her to look at the back of her shoulder. His thumb print was there, clear for all to see.

He released the shirt and moved to her right shoulder. There was nothing on her shoulder but the top of her right bicep showed clear marks from where he'd gripped her tightly.

Erin hadn't winced at the time or shown any other signs that he'd been hurting her so he hadn't thought to loosen his grip on her. He forgot how adrenalin affected breathers and that must have stopped her from feeling pain.

Earlier he'd noticed her rubbing her elbow from where he'd pushed her forwards after finding her already escaping Bertrand's grasp.

Vlad stepped back and shook his head, this shouldn't have happened. He didn't mean to hurt her. Erin saw his sudden change and lifted her shirt back up over her shoulder, wincing as the pain began to kick in.

"Why didn't you say anything?" He hissed at her, sickened himself at the damage he'd caused her.

"I didn't think it would matter." She hissed venomously at him. Vlad looked at her in surprise. He didn't expect that reaction from her. He searched her gaze looking for a reason behind her attitude, he couldn't put his finger on what it was but it made him panic slightly. Something he hadn't experienced for a while.

Erin was surprised in that moment to see the compassion in his eyes. It made the moment all that more confusing too her. "Sorry." She tried to cover herself. "I'm just tired." She didn't want him finding out what she knew about him in public. She wanted to confront him on his own.

Dark purple bags rested under her eyes, they fluttered frantically. "How long have you been up?"

"I've lost count." She muttered under her breath. She'd stopped counting the hours forty eight of them ago. She knew she had more to go as well.

"Get some sleep." He told her quietly. He could cover for her, stop people asking questions about where she was and what she was doing. He was good at that, he'd had practice over the last couple of months.

"I don't live here anymore." She reminded him, the one place she thought of as home and she didn't live there.

Vlad gestured towards the wing of the school with their living quarters with his arm, already turning away. "Go to my room while I finish sorting out down here and…"

Erin managed to dart in front of him at a pace that would have done a vampire proud and stop him in his tracks.

He looked at her in confusion.

"I need to talk to you Vlad." That tone there and then wasn't a good one.

"Later, okay?" He asked looking behind her towards Bertrand and his 'friends'.

"Now Vlad." Her tone left no room for discussion and it worried him. Erin had never been this firm with him before; it was a side of her that genuinely intrigued him.

The niggling thought at the back of his mind returned – she knew more than she was letting on at the moment.

Erin reached down and grabbed his hand before pulling him from the assembly hall in one fluid motion. He seemed confused at first but followed her silently. Erin tightened hers around his and he instinctively shifted his hand to lace their fingers together as their hands fit perfectly.

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They silently walked down the corridors.

Vlad could hear her heart racing and was concerned as to why it was racing and what that meant. He listened to the sound of her breathing to find it quickening and not from the walk.

He reached out with his mind to brush against hers but to his surprise he couldn't feel her mind at all. His boots clattered against the floor as he increased the force of his step as he grew irritated about being kept in the dark.

They turned down a familiar corridor in the west wing that led to their rooms. Erin's room was bare, the Count had ordered Renfield to strip it out, burn the coffin she'd been sleeping in. He'd claimed it reeked of breather, a miracle since Vlad had only had a taste of her scent tonight for the first time. All that was in her room was her coat and bag. She hadn't taken her bag with her before so at least she had some clothes at the school to wear.

Erin halted in her tracks, twisting the stiff door handle firmly. It creaked and groaned, the sound loud enough to wake the dead as it inched round in the mechanism. The contrast was amazing as the door opened cleanly without a noise exposing them to Vlad's room.

Erin yanked on his hand and pushed him into the room. He didn't stumble under her force and she used a lot of it. He walked towards his coffin, still open wide. He hadn't bothered to close it. The curtains were still drawn from getting changed in the sunlight and he hadn't bothered to open them when he'd returned.

Erin shut the door and leaned on it, the extra force forcing the catch into the lock. The door didn't have a key to lock it so her weight would have to do for now. Vampires didn't need keys when they could click their fingers and the doors would lock automatically.

She knew if he wanted to get out all he had to do was move her physically to one side.

She looked at him, all masks dropping. She fixed him with a gaze of pure anger and betrayal. He seemed shocked at her reaction and clearly unsure how to respond to it. "Vlad, did you know that what you see in the mirror isn't what people see when they look at you, you see everything reversed?"

That confused him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Erin folded her arms over her chest. "You know exactly what it means."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	2. Mirror Image

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 2: Mirror Image

He seemed to freeze for a moment, as he processed her words. Vlad looked at her, his face scrunched up in confusion. "What?" He tipped his head and screwed up his face.

"You heard me." Erin told him, her arms still locked over her chest.

There was that familiar look of panic crossing his face, before a mask slid over his features to remain calm and impassive. She'd seen him panic a few times as he thought that she'd noticed. The way he'd snapped his head around when she'd mentioned that she wasn't sure which Vlad had returned. He'd been genuinely terrified that she'd seen through him back then.

"I still don't know what you mean." He tried again.

Erin shook her head and rolled her eyes. The act wouldn't work on her anymore. She stared him down; Vlad would appreciate someone being able to look him in the eyes. She was determined. "Where is the real Vlad?"

His face remained expressionless for a moment longer, before the façade slipped. His shoulders dropped and he looked upwards, his tongue rolling in his mouth. He straightened out his shirt, removing any signs of creases before lowering his arms to his side and standing tall. He lowered his gaze slowly to look at her.

"There I thought that no one noticed…" There wasn't just smugness in that tone there was bitterness as well. His family had known him for seventeen years and the girl who'd known him for a matter of months could see straight through him.

"I saw through you before." Erin reminded him, forcing herself not to shiver at the way his whole posture had changed. He was no longer pretending, he didn't need to. She noticed he hadn't dropped his fangs; he always lowered his fangs before when this side revealed itself to her.

Vlad looked her up and down, "How long have you known?" He asked her with a laugh and piercing gaze.

Erin didn't see the point in lying. "The moment I saw you." She answered, not a hint of a lie in her words. "Well when Ingrid tried to hug you it was obvious." She'd seen it in his eyes, the bitterness and the distain towards his sister. She'd seen it once before when he'd sent her flying out of the school into the daylight.

Vlad studied her trying to work out whether or not she was lying. He couldn't see any hint of a lie although he could hear her heart racing and see her quivering under his gaze. The thought caused a thrill to race through him.

Vlad remembered that clearly he couldn't wait to pry his sister from him. He rolled his head, trying to look as if it didn't bother him. "You kept the secret though." That's what he thought was the most interesting thing. "So why tell me now?" He scrunched his eyes slightly, waiting for her answer.

"Because…" She began to defend herself before trailing off, she spoke without thinking.

Vlad knew the truth anyway, his eyes lit up. "Because you needed me for the book and you weren't sure if your precious Vlad could open it without me." He smiled at her; she wanted to wipe that smile off his face. "Now the book's gone you want to fix everything."

Erin looked down; she'd always intended to make sure that she got her Vlad back at the end of it. The thought that in a way she'd used him made her feel sick. She'd told him everything and she knew deep down that her Vlad would have helped her without question but she wasn't sure about the one in front of her. Ryan had only had a limited time and if Vlad had realised what she suspected then she would never have had a chance to save him.

Erin looked back up at him, wanting to gloss over that, she hated it when he talked sarcastically and angrily. "You really don't know the most obvious thing that gave you away do you?"

"Does it matter?" He asked, "No one else noticed." He seemed genuinely angry that no one else had noticed. Erin remained silent as she waited for it to begin to grate on him.

Vlad looked at her; he'd changed his posture, the way he dressed. He'd even changed the way he spoke and acted. He acted more confident, just enough to show that he had absorbed his reflection but not enough to let them know how much he'd changed.

He couldn't stand how well she knew him, the way she was looking at him almost chewing on her tongue waiting for him to ask. "How?" He eventually asked, looking at her, sniffing slightly and pretending only to ask out of courtesy so she could gloat. Although he knew Erin never gloated about anything. "How did you know the moment you saw me?" He wanted her to prove what she meant, he wasn't sure if she was making it up in an effort to unsettle her.

"You did everything perfectly, loosened your collar, altered your posture but what you see in the mirror isn't what people see when they look at you."

She'd said those words to him before and he hadn't understood them. He thought she's meant that she could tell he was the reflection. "What does that mean?" Vampires didn't have reflections, at least not when they turned sixteen.

Erin gestured with her hand to his head. "I look at my Vlad and his parting is on his left to me, but if he could look in a mirror it would be on his right. Yours is on the right. You're his mirror image – his reflection. I know the difference in my boyfriend." He let out a small bark of laughter, bitter laughter. Something like that and only she'd noticed, it hadn't occurred to him to change his parting.

Erin felt her heart clench, this wasn't the laughter he'd used last time this laughter was forced. She wanted to help him then; even though he'd deceived her she didn't want him to feel pain. Erin took a chance, she didn't know how he'd react but she brushed his hand lightly against hers. He jumped back but didn't pull his hand from her touch. His eyes softened a fraction and she decided to be bolder, link their fingers together. He'd always initiated the contact before so she assumed he didn't mind.

This time he reacted.

Vlad ripped his fingers from hers, stuffing them into his pockets. "Don't touch me breather."

He balled his fists in his pockets and Erin couldn't honestly tell whether he genuinely disliked her touching him or he was trying to keep up his image. The way he'd touched her before confused her to no end, he'd been so tender and careful it had made her breathing falter and her heart skip.

Erin's answer was quick and immediate. "'Breather' doesn't insult me Vlad." She knew the word was just a label for humans, she didn't feel the least bit offended by it.

"Maybe I should say 'slayer'." He yelled back at her. His eyes turning the darkest black as he said the words. His look of disgust was hard to disguise.

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Erin's eyes pricked, she could fear the pain in his voice. It didn't matter which Vlad it was but she could tell her own deception had cut him deeply.

"You want to question me but you had a secret you've hidden for longer. Who should be more hurt?!" He shouted. He was hurt and that thought startled her. His eyes betrayed him; she could see that he thought he was an idiot for not seeing sooner what she was. She could see the hatred with himself for letting her get close to him. She had killed a vampire and he wasn't going to let himself be her next victim.

Erin had a feeling that the fact he'd accepted her back was more a question of keeping up the trusting façade of the old Vlad compared to the one that was in control in front of her.

Erin couldn't bear the raw emotions flitting through his eyes. "I never meant for you to find out that way. I wanted to tell you but when I found out who had come back…"

"Don't make excuses!" He snapped at her. Erin looked towards the window; she could hear the lightning raging outside. His anger at her own deception clear for all to hear. The other vampires would probably want to know what the storm was in aid of.

Erin couldn't understand it though, he didn't care about feelings he never had. "Why do you care?" She asked him pointedly, her eyebrows rising. "You don't care about anyone, not even your own family and certainly not me." She blinked rapidly feeling her eyes beginning to water, the dams threatening to open. She could feel her heart breaking right in front of her. She truly had no one left now.

"I care about what's important." Vlad told her without any hesitation.

"Which never was me." She muttered looking down, her heart shattering into smaller pieces. Vlad looked at her freezing for a split second, or at least Erin thought he did but she couldn't trust her eyes with his vampiric speed. "Do you know what it feels like to know that you're only touching me because you want to pretend you're him?" She snapped at him, her throat holding a sob in it.

"It didn't stop you going along with it though did it?" He asked her, catching her out. "Or do you prefer the bolder Vlad?" He stepped closer to her, testing his theory out. Erin moved to the side of him, doing a dose-doe around him to get out of his way.

Vlad turned; he seemed startled that she'd moved so quickly. He could see the redness in her eyes of unshed tears. He was tempted to reach out and caress her cheek but he squashed the thought. He hated those feelings that overcame him. They'd betrayed him once tonight when he felt ashamed and disgusted with himself after bruising her in his grip. He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts.

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Erin had another question for him, one she couldn't figure out. The reason behind him hiding. "Why are you hiding? You can have everything you want but you're hiding away. Why?"

Vlad looked at her his eyes wide, she really didn't know? Then again the original Vlad had never talked to her about this part. "You know I can't do what I want until I'm eighteen." He smirked at her and Erin wanted to slap it from his face. "I'm not giving Dad a chance to try and take power from me again. Although I've fixed that already." He smirked, it had been one of the more recent things he'd done.

Erin only picked up on one thing though. "Again?" Erin was still confused though. "You're what they want." They wanted this side of Vlad, he was always being told that he needed to be more evil and this side of him was.

"They don't want me!" He shouted at her, "They want the weak Vlad back, not me. A Vlad they can control. They're scared of me and they should be." His eyes dropped lower so he looked through his lids. He restrained himself from reaching out to touch her. "You're afraid of me." He noted, he could feel how heaving her scent had become out of fear.

"Yeah." She confirmed, he smiled at her honestly. He deliberately stepped back, the floorboards squeaking under his feet, sensing her calming down a fraction at the increased safety that a pace brought, regardless of how quickly he could still cross that distance and bite her.

"You know what I hated?" He began, he saw Erin's question. "Acting as the weak Vlad."

"He's not weak!" Erin shouted at him, her voice bouncing off the walls. "Just because you don't agree with each other doesn't mean he's weak. He's not weak not to drink blood, he's strong to resist it, *you're* the weak one for giving into the bloodlust."

"I have to survive." He snapped at her, she just didn't understand. Soy blood had to be drunk more regularly than human blood because the synthetic nutrients didn't have as prolonged an affect on vampires as human blood.

Erin was ready for that argument. "You don't have to drink human blood."

"But I want to." He hadn't bitten anyone or even had the slightest drop if blood since he'd taken over. He'd had to resign himself to that synthetic goo as his new form of nutrition would have been found out.

Erin took the smallest of steps backwards, although she was trying not to show her fear of him so obviously even though she'd already told him he scared her. This Vlad was unpredictable, the only reason she'd been able to predict him was that he was pretending to be her Vlad and using his thinking patterns.

He closed his eyes and inhaled her scent, it tickled his nose. He could smell berries, raspberry, cherry, strawberry and blackberry. His evolved nose could pick them out individually. Erin didn't wear perfume he knew that from the lack of it in her bags, even at school she recoiled when it was offered to her.

He looked her up and down looking at her neck, his eyes watching as the artery throbbed and pulsed. He was transfixed by it. All vampires were transfixed by the thought of blood.

Erin tried to follow his gaze instinctively, looking towards the vein before wincing as she strained her eyes. "Are you ever going to let him have control again?" His head whipped upwards to look at her, that told her all she needed to know. A smug smile spreading across his lips. He wasn't going to relinquish any control. She folded her arms across her chest. She felt it was only fair to warn him. "I will get him back. I did it before and I'll do it again." She told him firmly before turning on her heel to leave the room.

That was her mistake there and then.

She should never have turned her back on him. She'd forgotten in that split second what he was capable of. She couldn't predict this Vladimir Dracula.

He reached for her and grabbed her wrist pulling her close to him in an arc. The move was fluid, graceful and painless. So painless. The thought made her heart clench.

Erin let out a startled cry as she found her arms pinned across her stomach, almost as if she was folding her arms, her back pressed flush against his strong chest. Not even the tiniest particles of air could pass between them. Erin kept herself still afraid of what might happen if she struggled. He was much stronger than her and she didn't want to risk breaking a bone but moving forcefully in a grip she knew he wouldn't relinquish.

She could hear the irritated rumble in his chest. She'd never realised how intimidating it was that she couldn't feel his breath on her to know where he was behind her.

She realised soon enough.

His fangs brushed her neck as he spoke, she didn't know if he was serious or not. He only needed to pierce the smallest part of her skin for a transformation or draining to take place. Something told her he wasn't thinking of the former. He'd never been able to get so close before.

Vlad spoke as if speaking to a lover, his voice caressing her ears. "I'm not going to let a slayer stop me from taking what's mine."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	3. Temporary

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_How this fic came about…_

_My mum was in charge of recording YD on my new laptop (Bad Vlad onwards). She said 'I don't think that's the real Vlad.' She's convinced that the wrong Vlad has returned because of his hair mainly but also because he seemed to panic when Erin mentioned which Vlad had come back and the look he gave Bertrand when saying he'd 'seen the light' about breathers and vampires living together. There were other things but these were the main ones._

_Someone asked how to pronounce my author name: yek – nod – elt – til (took me a few goes as well)._

Chapter 3: Temporary

The feeling of his fangs resting on her neck made her begin to tremble, no matter how much she tried to remain as still as a statue her body betrayed her.

She knew her heard was racing; he wouldn't need his hearing to hear that. It felt like it was about to burst from her chest.

Vampires liked to play with their food. That's what she remembered one of his former tutors saying.

This was just cruel. She didn't think he was capable of it. Last time he'd just tried to get it over and done with, bite her quickly.

Unfortunately things had changed since last time.

There were more lies between them than last time and he was hurt.

He tightened his grip a fraction and Erin winced at the increase in pressure. Strangely though he immediately loosened it. Erin was confused, he wanted to drain her but he was making an effort not to hurt her.

His fangs pressed further into her neck and she closed her so tightly she felt a headache building – although that wouldn't make much difference in a few minutes. He wasn't struggling against himself like last time he was just taking his time.

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Vlad looked down at the breather… slayer, he corrected himself mentally, in front of him. He was hurt no matter how much he tried to deny it and at the back of his mind the cage he'd forced his goodness into felt exactly the same. It made him stronger. He'd taken a *slayer* into his home and cared for her, finding out she was a breather was a shock but he'd given her plenty of chances to tell him.

When it got out into their world, and it was *when* and not *if*, he would be more of a laughing stock than he already was. He needed and wanted to change that, he couldn't rule if he let others walk all over him.

She could have been honest with him.

He could feel her quivering under his fingertips, she was scared but she wasn't begging like last time. He tightened his grip before feeling her wince, a wave of sickness flashed through him and he loosened his grip immediately.

He knew she didn't want to become one of them and the other side of him, the one he hated, didn't want her to either.

He could take her mortality there and then but he couldn't do it. Something that angered him.

He retracted his fangs but decided to test her. He lightly bit down on her skin, just enough for her to know what he was doing. Erin froze he expected her to collapse into tears but her reaction surprised him. "Are you going to get it over with or keep playing with your food?" Her voice was full of irritation as she spoke.

He bit down a bit harder showing her he didn't appreciate her comment. Erin tried to wrench her hand free but he wouldn't let her, he moved his mouth from her neck. A sense of pride at the temporary bite marks he'd created. He'd marked her but she'd marked him first – his heart. That's why he was so determined to close himself off from the one person who had hurt him most.

He became transfixed by her neck, the way it arched gracefully. The smooth skin there. He pressed his nose against the soft skin there directly above her carotid artery, he could smell the blood pumping through her. The sweetness of it. He pressed the softest of kisses against it. He felt her shiver and lean back into him. He looked up seeing her expressive eyes fluttering closed at the sensation. He pulled back to study her neck.

Suddenly those bite marks weren't fantastic and prideful, they made him sick.

He shoved her away from him, not hard enough to make her stumble but hard enough to make sure she knew he meant business. Erin twisted in confusion, her hand reached up to her neck. He thought she was checking for blood, checking he hadn't broken her skin in any way, but she didn't touch the skin he'd lightly bitten she touched the skin he'd kissed.

"Get out." He muttered calmly, unsure at what had happened to him. His eyes searched back and forth, as if he was trying to read the air hoping it would give him answers.

Erin blinked, unsure that she'd heard him correctly. "What?" He didn't answer he simply stared transfixed at the space in front of him. Erin couldn't help but feel concerned at the lost expression that covered his face. "Are you okay?"

"Get out." He repeated, just as slowly and steadily. She was confused as he stepped further away from her.

Erin knew to take advantage of it and darted from his room leaving a baffled Vlad in her wake.

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A knock at Erin's door made her jump. The door handle lowered a fraction before pausing. She looked for something to throw at the door only finding her jumper to grip.

The door flew open and a small blur raced towards her. His arms latched around her waist, squeezing her tightly. "Are you staying?" A small voice asked her.

"No." Erin answered gently, Vlad had told her to get out and she didn't want to anger him further until she could get the two sides of him separated again.

He buried his face into her stomach, "I don't want you to go again."

Erin didn't want to either, "I have to."

"What about Vlad?"

Erin tried to keep her voice level as she answered the young half wolf. "What about him?"

"Vlad's different, he's always quiet and sad." Wolfie told her quietly. Erin let out a soft snort, "He missed you." Erin shook her head where Wolfie couldn't see her, he knew his brother was different but he thought it was because he missed her. Children's logic.

"I don't think vampires miss anyone." She told the small boy, stroking his chestnut hair. She was curious if Vlad's had been like this once.

Wolfie gave her a look of adorable confusion, the kind that a child has when he spots a flaw in your sentence. "*I* missed you."

Erin couldn't stop the smile that tugged at her lips, "You're only *half* vampire." She kissed his forehead lightly. "Anyway you'll have Ingrid still." For some unknown reason at the mention of Ingrid's name Wolfie's eyes began to water. Erin pried herself from his grip and knelt down, "What's wrong?" Her heart clenched at the thought of upsetting him. She hadn't meant to hurt the small boy.

A mixture of unintelligible words and yaps came from his mouth before he launched himself at her and hugged her tightly. Erin's arms wrapped around his small body, he shuddered uncontrollably in her embrace and her only answer was to hold him tighter.

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The sound of a sonic boom echoed in the room. Vlad emerged in the doorway, his mouth open ready for some kind of retort. He paused seeing Wolfie clinging to Erin, tears racing down his small cheeks. Erin rocked him gently from side to side.

Erin looked upwards and thanked the heavens that she hadn't started undressing when Wolfie came in in the first place. Her clothes were all spread out before her, she wanted to wrap up warmly before leaving.

Vlad knelt down in front of her and gently pried Wolfie from her, Wolfie looked at his brother before hugging him. Vlad seemed startled and his face softened as he let Wolfie cling to him.

"What's wrong?" He asked Wolfie, he knew he couldn't command him but he wanted to find out. Wolfie tightened his rip briefly.

His sensitive ears picked up Wolfie's answer, "Ingrid… bit me." Vlad grabbed his upper arms and pushed Wolfie back from him. Wolfie cried harder.

"Vlad!" Erin scolded before seeing what Vlad was doing, she. Vlad pulled on Wolfie's collar, looking at his neck carefully. He pulled the shirt out of the way, trying to see any signs of a bite. His eyes swept over Wolfie's neck two, no three times, he wasn't as gentle as he could be but panic was setting in.

"She bit you?" He asked his brother again, panicking, terrified that it had healed over. He wasn't sure whether Wolfie's wolf genes would heal any wound flawlessly.

"She tried to." He told his older brother. Vlad physically relaxed, his posture slumping. "She came that close." Wolfie held out his arms to show about six inches as he spoke. Vlad wiped his brother's tears away.

Vlad's face darkened at the realisation that Ingrid had shown her fangs to him and had been close enough to Wolfie's neck for him to think she was going to bite him.

Wolfie looked down, almost as if he was ashamed for telling Vlad what Ingrid had almost done. Vlad cupped his chin and lifted his face upwards. "I'm not going to let her touch you."

"Promise?"

Vlad nodded as he spoke, "Promise." Vlad glanced towards the door gesturing with his head, "Now bed, you've been up all night."

"But Erin…"

"Now." He told him sternly. Wolfie looked as if he was trying to be stubborn, Vlad was more stubborn though. Wolfie nodded in defeat before hugging Vlad once more and kissing Erin's cheek and darting from the room.

Vlad turned his head to watch his brother run from the room, he doubted he'd go to sleep anytime soon.

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Erin couldn't figure out this version of Vlad in front of her. "Was that pretending?" She asked him stubbornly, if it was then she was even more disgusted with him that she already was.

"I care about my brother." Vlad told her seriously, she couldn't see a hint of a lie on his face. Vlad wouldn't hurt Wolfie, Wolfie wouldn't deliberately hurt him. He had childish innocence. Wolfie wanted to help everyone and Vlad couldn't fault that. It made sense when she thought about it, Wolfie was the only one of them that had actually escaped Vlad's wrath, even Bertrand had encountered it a week later.

"What do you want anyway?" She asked her voice as cold as she could make it. It was a challenge but she managed – barely. This wasn't her Vlad in front of her, she needed to remember that. Her hand instinctively reached up to touch her neck.

"Where are you going?" He asked her pointedly seeing how her bag had moved and was ready to go. He looked at her neck and was relieved to see the marks had the pressure marks had vanished. He didn't have a problem thinking about biting anyone else but something about biting her… He cursed himself for being such a wimp. She'd betrayed him, she didn't deserve any of his pity.

"You told me to go."

"I said get out, I don't remember telling you to leave the school." That caught Erin's attention, her jaw dropped slightly. He knew she'd try and stop him, get the Vlad she knew and lo… had feelings for back.

He glanced casually at the floorboard that was still open. "Surprised you haven't found your stake."

Erin didn't bother to look up at him. "If I slay you I don't get my Vlad back." He tipped his head, a split second pout covering his lips; Erin caught sight of it and rolled her eyes instinctively. "I meant what I said anyway." She twisted around as she said the words, leaning against the support struts for the coffin that still rested in the centre of the room. "I used to be a slayer."

Vlad scoffed, "You still killed one of my kind, you don't stop being a slayer overnight."

"And you don't start being a vampire two years *after* your transformation." She retorted making his eyes fly up to hers. She reached behind her for a familiar monkey, "This is yours." Erin handed him the toy, she watched in amusement as he stared at it. It wasn't in distain it was something else. To her surprise he held it back out to her, she expected him to rip its head off.

He looked into her eyes and saw reluctance in them as she tried to give it back to him. "I gave it to you."

"You remember that?" She asked surprised.

"I have all his memories Erin, we're linked we always been since the moment we were born." His voice had an undercurrent of frankness about it. Erin hadn't realised that, she just assumed the moment they merged he'd gained Vlad's memories.

Erin took it off him and hugged it tightly to her. He felt a faint smile tugging at his lips as he watched her hug the stuffed monkey. She didn't hug it because she needed comfort she hugged it because she genuinely treasured the toy.

"You're staying." He told her firmly.

"Don't I get a say?" Erin didn't like decisions being made for her, but perhaps it might be the best way. She could keep an eye on him here.

"No."

Erin clicked her tongue. "Are you going to try and bite me again? Or threaten me with it?"

He swept his gaze around the room. "You need a coffin." She noticed he didn't answer her questions.

"I'm…" She trailed off not wanting to chance that argument again. "If I'm staying you know I'm going to be finding a way to bring him back."

"Honesty first, that's new!" He laughed at her. Erin ground her teeth firmly together, she knew the pressure she'd used would make her teeth hurt tomorrow.

Erin gestured towards the corridor, "Wolfie knows you're different. He thinks it's because you missed me." She laughed at that, this Vlad wouldn't miss her. His eyes hardened at her reaction cutting the laugher down in its tracks.

He stepped within six inches of her their chests pressed together, "I'm letting you live slayer but in return you won't tell them about me."

Erin broke his gaze, leaning backwards to look at him, "Is that what you're worried about?" His eyelids seemed to flex and his nostrils flared. "Vlad you might call me a slayer but I'm not stupid enough to tell them which Vlad is in control." She knew they'd try and stop him again in a way that would compromise his life and his dignity. No matter which Vlad was in front of her she wouldn't let that happen.

He seemed startled; he'd assumed that she'd need more coaxing. She knew more about his family than he realised. "Good."

His business complete he twisted around to face the door, there was no point in speeding to his room. It was ironic that he could turn his back on her but she couldn't turn hers on him, after all they were both deadly in their own way.

"Why do you want me to stay anyway?" Erin asked him in confusion. She didn't understand, if she'd hurt him so badly she would've thought he'd want her out of his way.

Vlad looked over his shoulder and threw her a chilling smile. "It's more fun having a slayer around."

Erin honestly didn't know what that meant but she didn't like the sound of it.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	4. The Fun In It

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Someone's asked me already so I would like your opinions on it…_

_Should I turn Erin into a vampire in this fic?_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 4: The Fun In It

The library was secluded and peaceful… and the moment she thought this she knew she'd jinxed herself.

She didn't want to work in the Dracula living quarters; she hadn't faced any of Vlad's family or Bertrand since defeating Sethius. Erin knew they'd all be waiting to take a bite out of her – literally – probably in the order Bertrand, then Ingrid, then the Count and dealing with one evil Dracula was enough for her at the moment.

"I know you're behind me." Erin muttered as she scribbled furiously in her exercise book. "And I can feel you smirking." She hissed angrily. She expected a challenge to come from that but none came.

"How can you feel someone smirking?" He pulled out the chair next to her and sat down in it, folding his arms and staring at her. She ignored him, refusing to let herself be baited by him.

Erin rubbed her eyes, his words had kept her up worrying all night. She didn't understand at all what he'd meant by 'it's more fun having a slayer around'.

She'd been given a coffin – strangely a more comfortable one than before. Her new one was wider with padding, as if he'd actually considered that she was a breather. A sheet had even been supplied to wrap around her at night.

Erin wasn't sure whether it was actually Vlad who had supplied it or the Count as repayment for her saving his unlife. She wasn't sure that the Count was the repaying or giving type though.

She could feel his eyes burning into her. She tried to ignore them and focus on the history project in front of her. He might not have to worry about a-levels but if she ever wanted to get out of slaying, which had crossed her mind more than once since meeting him, they would be more than useful to her.

After another minute she couldn't cope anymore. "Go find someone else to bite." She spat at him before realising what she'd said. Her gaze snapped to him, panicking in case he followed her command literally, "Don't you dare…"

To her surprise he began to chuckle. She threw her pen down and folded her arms over her chest mimicking his posture perfectly.

"Hey Vlad." Erin's teeth began to grate with that girlish flirtatious tone. "Erin." The female slayer's name was said with much less enthusiasm. Erin looked upwards, struggling to smile at Becky, it came out as a grimace. Becky didn't notice only having eyes for Vlad as she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

Vlad looked at Becky, then at Erin and a smirk spread over his face. "Hey Becky." He spoke slowly and purposefully, deliberately keeping his eyes focussed on the dark beauty in front of him although he could see Erin out of the corners.

Erin knew what was coming and capped the lid of her black ball point pen. She closed her text book with a slam and closed her yellow paged exercise book. Vlad watched her, his eyes sweeping over her as she moved.

Erin pushed her chair back casually until she could stand, picking up her bag from the floor she began to stuff her things in her bag. Vlad froze before a grin crossed his face at her actions. Erin casually leaned over Vlad, pretending she was reaching for her coat. "I know what you're up to." Erin gave Becky a wide smile, two could play at that game. "He's all yours."

That made Vlad falter in his actions, he looked at her in confusion expecting her to be watching him but she wasn't. She didn't even bother to look backwards at him as she strode from the room.

Becky watched as Erin left the room, some hope crossing her. "Have you two had a fight?" Vlad and Erin were usually as thick as thieves when they were together but at the moment there seemed to be something between them. She was going to take full advantage of that like last time.

Vlad's face twisted into a sneer, where was the fun in it if she wasn't even going to try and stop him. It was a waste of his time.

His jaw set.

Becky sidled closer to Vlad, "We never actually had lunch thanks to the garlic…"

Vlad looked at Becky dismissively, "Why would I be interested in you?" Becky seemed taken aback after last time.

Vlad grabbed his bag and stormed out of the library, ready to confront a slayer who'd job it was to protect breathers and she'd just nearly let him get away with biting one.

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Erin leaned against the grey corridor wall, the lockers opposite her. Her bag dropped to the floor, the contents spilling out of the open flap of the bag. She slid down the wall, her head fitting automatically in her hands. Her chest began to heave violently as silent sobs wracked her body.

He was just taunting her now.

She'd made a mistake, but that's what evil did wasn't it? It taunted you and played on your regrets.

She leaned her head back against the wall, it made a dull 'thunk' as it met with the plasterboard. Erin raised a shaking hand, she hated crying it made her hands shake as she always balled her fists up, straining them. She wiped away the panda eyes she was convinced the mascara had given her.

She knew her face was red and blotchy, she could feel the tightness as the tears had dried. The girls' toilets were barely ten yards away from her. Reaching into her bag she pulled out a tissue and wiped her nose, which was the other thing she hated about crying the way her nose always ran when it did. She shoved the things back into her bag, not caring if they became creased and damaged.

She reached out behind her and pushed her hands against the floor, forcing herself upwards.

Erin jumped back as she came eye to tie, with Vlad. There was no one else that would deliberately stand that close to her, she swept her gaze upwards, doing her best to ignore the milky skin she could glimpse between the open buttons on his shirt.

"What was that?!" He questioned her. Erin squinted, he really couldn't be angry at her letting him ask Becky out.

"You wanted to ask her to 'dinner'." Both knew she meant as dinner not for dinner. He stooped slightly, "I gave you the chance."

He couldn't understand it, "You didn't even try to stop me." Erin hated having to walk away but she had an inkling that he would react that way if she made him believe she honestly didn't care. "You've been crying." He noted, reaching to touch her cheek. Erin pulled back sharply at the way he suddenly transformed into the Vlad he'd been pretending to be.

Then she saw why, people were making their way down the corridor. She sharply pulled back from him before he could touch her. She watched his jaw shift subtly at her rejection. His actions finally caused the dam to open.

"You don't get to do this!" She poked him hard in the chest. He looked down at his chest staring at the spot she'd just poked. The material was all bunched and creased where she'd poked him. Erin's face was red this time with anger. "You don't want your family to find out but here you are asking Becky out all over again just because I know who you are!"

Everyone turned to face them, leaving a wide berth around the feuding couple.

"You're jealous." He taunted.

She hit him harder this time. He actually took a step backwards. His eyes widened in shock. "That's what you wanted isn't it?" He didn't answer, "I'm ready for you this time Vlad." She warned him.

"So I have to try something different then." He shrugged, "Shouldn't be hard."

"I really don't think anything else will work."

"We'll see slayer." He'd taken to leaving his fangs retracted when he said that in an effort not to show it bothered him as much as he'd admitted to the night before.

"Stop calling me that!" She snapped at him angrily, making him smirk. She'd given him more ammunition.

Erin shoved past him, ensure to knock her shoulder against his and shove him out of the way. Vlad stumbled to one side and she smirked at him slightly, he returned it.

The game was on.

She halted in her tracks as she nearly walked into an irritated Miss Alex McCauley. Glancing around the head teacher they hadn't realised how much of a crowd they'd attracted. "Vlad, Erin. My office. Now."

"Well done slayer." Vlad spat. Erin winced as he intended her to do as he spat out her former career. It was a career, she couldn't have any other occupation with her training.

Erin wanted to say he started it but she realised how childish it sounded. She only hoped she managed to work out a way to get her Vlad back before it was too late.

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Alex ushered them into her office, closing the door with just enough pressure to show she meant business. The young teenagers watched her carefully, they knew she would tell the Count if she suspected anything.

She sat down at her desk, resting her forearms on the desk and linking her hands together.

"Which one of you is going to start?" She looked between them, only seeing the stubborn and determined faces both of them held. "Vlad?" She looked at him, he didn't say anything. "Erin?" She didn't say anything either. Alex let out the sigh of the suffering, she wasn't going to spend the next however many hours waiting for either of them to speak. "What has gotten into you?"

"It was a private argument." Vlad told Alex McCauley firmly, a bit of his current nature slipping through.

"You were having it in a school corridor, how is that private?" Vlad and Erin looked at each other, neither wanted to comment, "Can I ask what this argument was about?" She tried to give them her best disciplinary gaze but it failed.

"It's private." They both spoke at the same time.

Alex could see by their body language – the way they were close to each other but straining to move away from each other at the same time – that it might be something that might not be solved overnight.

"I want this sorted between you, if either of you argue again in front of any member of staff I will personally see that you serve detention. Is that understood?" The pair nodded, she looked across at Erin, "Perhaps living with Vlad's family isn't the best thing for you now…"

"I'm fine." Erin told her firmly. "It's just a misunderstanding, my fault completely." Vlad's head snapped around to her.

"You pushed him."

"He was too close to me." Erin told her, not blinking once. Vlad didn't know whether Erin was lying or not in that moment. She'd never complained about him being so close before but she had been playing along.

Alex raised her eyebrows before asking a question that could have avoided the unpleasantness. "Did you ask him to step back?"

Erin looked down. "No."

"Pushing doesn't solve anything."

"Neither does biting." Erin muttered under her breath, making Vlad chuckle before coughing to cover it. She smiled sweetly at him.

Alex looked between them, she shook her head. "I want this sorted before tomorrow, if not I don't want it being discussed on school premises again."

The pair nodded as she strode towards the door, she pulled it open and gestured for them to leave. The pair couldn't get out quick enough.

As soon as they were through the door, Alex shook her head. It just wasn't like them to argue although last time she'd been forced to suspend him.

She'd have to keep an eye on them.

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They walked silently, each waiting for the other to ask a question. They drew funny looks as they made their way towards the foyer.

"Why did you do that?" Vlad asked her softly, "Tell her it was all your fault." He was supposed to take the blame, he was the vampire. He didn't know why she'd taken the blame.

Erin looked to the wall, then down, then back up at him. "Because I shouldn't have exploded like that. If Ingrid had heard…" She stopped herself before she could think that through fully, "Sorry if I hurt you." Vlad blinked in surprise, it was the last thing he'd considered her saying.

"I'm not the Vlad you want to say that to." He answered her, taking care not to look at her directly, fixing his gaze on a point behind her.

"You share the same body, both of you feel the same physical pain." She'd chosen her words carefully and he noticed that.

He nodded understanding and letting her know he knew the meaning behind her words. "We're fine."

Erin let out a small sigh of relief. "Good." She glanced up at him, "But this doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying."

Vlad grinned at her, a wide toothy grin, "I know besides where's the fun in it if you do?" Erin suddenly regretted apologising for shoving him.

The next thing Vlad knew the sound of breaking glass. Erin snapped her head around, pushing Vlad back further into the shade of the foyer.

A canister of something landed at his feet, before releasing a colourless, odourless gas that had both him and Erin on their knees within seconds. He reached out for her, managing to grip her jumper and clutch the grey wool in between his fingers.

Just as he passed out, he thought he glimpsed someone…

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Would anyone else like me to make Erin a vampire?_

_Thanks for reading._


	5. Easy

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I've done a music video for this from one of the songs that helped it to develop… I'm hoping to upload it on youtube. I've never uploaded anything on youtube so fingers crossed as I send technology running away screaming._

Chapter 5: Easy

Everything was ever so quiet; she could hear the soft humming of a generator as she slowly came to. She buried her face deeper into the soft wool underneath her. She tried to bring a hand up to touch the wool but instead pain flared through her wrist.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open; everything was blurred at first until her vision focussed. As soon as it did she winced at the headache that burned at the front of her skull. She could make out the cold, grey concrete floor from which damp was seeping through her black school skirt making her shiver. Around the edges were UV lights, much like the cage Ryan had been in. It wouldn't hurt her but it would kill Vlad if he tried to escape.

She could make out a table with something on it in the corner. She turned her head slightly, coming into contact with the wool once more.

"You're awake then." His voice wasn't sarcastic it was gentle and mindful of her ears. It was also far too close to her hair.

Then she realised she was resting against Vlad's chest, she couldn't remain there for much longer. She tried to push herself upwards, but without the use of her hands it was useless. Eventually she managed to brace her hands on the cold concrete floor and use them to redistribute her weight and shuffle away.

Vlad felt bereft at the loss and Erin found herself missing the contact as well. Erin felt herself growing warmer at how close she was to Vlad; even though she'd moved from him she was still a matter of inches away from him. She was practically sitting in his lap.

"Move away from me please." She asked as kindly as she could muster, trying not to appear as flustered as she was.

"I'd love to but I can't." He twisted his body around so she could see exactly what it meant. He was cuffed firmly to a pipe in the ground. There was no telling how deep the pipe was, either way he wasn't going anywhere. She winced as she saw the chaff marks where he'd tried to free himself. Vlad saw her noticing and moved back to where he had been. He felt embarrassed at her looking at them and seeing how he'd failed to free them.

"Then stop wiggling." She hissed as he began to move and kept knocking her. Erin didn't understand, Vlad was the strongest vampire on the planet so he should have been out of the cuffs in a matter of moments. "Can't you break the cuffs?"

"They're fang cuffs." He told her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

She knew what that meant, "So…"

He confirmed with a nod, finishing her sentence. "Slayers."

"They could be anyone…"

"Jonno and Mina." Vlad told her with no hint of a smile, he'd seen them as he'd passed out. He still remembered trying to reach for Erin, trying to check that she was okay.

Erin didn't understand it, they were considering a truce. They would turn up at the school if they wanted to talk. "Why would they…" Erin's eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. "Please tell me you didn't."

He decided to play ignorant. "Didn't what?"

"You did, didn't you?" She threw her head backwards; it bounced off his shoulder, hitting the joint. She bit her tongue to stop the 'ow' escaping her lips. Vlad instinctively brought his hand forward to cradle her injury, only to wince as he forgot that his hands were bound behind him. He was thankful Erin didn't notice as she was trying to play down how much her action had hurt her.

He shook his head, his bottom lip jutting out, "I don't know what you're talking about." He sounded so unconvincing. Her eyes narrowed.

"You know what I mean! You hypnotised them!" She hissed at him, her arm flailing towards the door Jonno and Mina were on the other side of. "I knew I saw you click your fingers!"

He'd waved his arm behind his head and clicked his fingers, Jonno and Mina had snapped to life just before Miss McCauley came in. She'd hoped that was only a nightmare.

He shrugged, as well as he could with his hands tied behind him. "They weren't being very cooperative." He needed their help and they hadn't been very decisive so he'd just helped them along a little bit.

Erin felt like screaming, this was the first scrape his reflection had managed to get them into and probably the most deadly at the moment considering they were helpless. "They're slayers they aren't supposed to cooperate with vampires!"

Vlad looked at her pointedly. "You do."

"You know how I feel about you." Erin told him before she could stop herself. Vlad looked at her like a deer caught in headlights. She tried to correct herself but could only come up with, "I care for you."

Vlad looked upwards, "You mean him."

Erin blinked, "Is this the time to argue about you and him?" She couldn't believe she was saying that, of course she wanted her Vlad back but at the moment they could only thing about getting out of there. "What do they want?"

"To discuss the agreement." A new voice spoke.

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Across the other side of the barrier Jonno stood watching them. He seemed slightly amused that they were arguing, he never would have imagined Vlad for someone who'd have a girlfriend.

Erin decided to speak first; she couldn't trust anything that might come from Vlad's lips to be sensible at the moment. "If we're discussing something why are we chained up?" She tugged on her cuffs to stress the point; even though they couldn't see them they could hear them. "And why were we knocked out?"

Jonno gave her a winning smile, "Because we're at Base Two, considering you told him where the first one was." His face hardened as he mentioned her betrayal. "We didn't want to take any chances of either of you finding out where it was, half of our Guild is gone because of you." Reading between the lines that meant they'd both be knocked back out when they were 'released', *if* they were released. "And we didn't want to be hypnotised again, like you hypnotised us at the school."

Erin dropped her head down; she just knew they'd realise that. She snapped her head to look at Vlad who remained impassive. It was too much to hope he remained quiet though. "You weren't quick enough!"

"We had a right to make up our own mind!"

"Not when my family and girlfriend's lives were at risk!" He snapped, Erin felt her throat clench. He'd never referred to her as that before but then she remembered he was still putting on a front and she felt the tears burning in her eyes. How come he could reduce her to tears so easily?

"We would've dealt with him."

"By hiding in that tent?" Vlad laughed, "You've never changed. Never thinking things through and the vampires have to save the day. You're just like your father…" Erin was growing more and more wary as the conversation progressed, Jonno was getting dangerously close to finding out which Vlad was in front of him, although he would just assume Vlad had been like this since he was sixteen.

"Don't you dare mention him!" Jonno shouted at Vlad, "He's dead because of you and that mind wipe of yours."

Erin saw her chance to chance the topic and latched onto it. Erin was curious, even if Vlad was pretending he wasn't. "How come you remember?"

"It turns out there's something in Slayer DNA that stops mind wipes taking permanent effect. That and a few other things." Jonno shrugged, it wasn't really something they understood yet but hoped to after more tests were won.

Silence reined over them for a few moments, "What do you want?" Vlad asked Jonno quietly.

"In exchange for the blood banks… you to be under our authority. You will do exactly what we say and live how we say."

Vlad shook his head, his eyes blackening. Vampires would never be slaves to slayers. "Never."

"We can still wipe you out at any time. You want peace, we're giving you a chance."

"You're giving me a chance?" He laughed. Erin nudged him with her elbow, reminding him to behave.

Jonno shook his head finding it amusing. "The only reason you were allowed to live was because Erin convinced us to give you more time." Vlad's gaze snapped to her, he couldn't understand why she was cringing. She'd tried to save him, maybe he was wrong about her… "Something about a book." Vlad's wall built up and he berated himself violently for even daring to hope. Of course it would have been the book, anything for her brother.

"You told them about the book?"

"She told us it was the key to wiping out your kind in one go."

Vlad looked at the female slayer. "Anything else you'd like to tell me?" His voice was snarky, he felt the familiar hurt building and he sniffed in response. "Maybe a boyfriend you've got hidden somewhere or that you're half werewolf?"

Erin's jaw tightened and her nostrils flared. "Shut up!" She told him firmly and Vlad obeyed. Jonno looked between them trying to figure them out. This argument may have been his fault but it seemed to go deeper. "This time it wasn't about Ryan. It was about you."

Jonno really didn't want to listen to them having a domestic. The vampire didn't deserve her, Erin deserved better. "I want your answer in an hour."

Although he doubted they would hear him over their argument.

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Vlad yanked his hands free from the cuffs; they dropped harmlessly to the concrete with a clunk. Erin jumped at the sound, craning her neck to look at Vlad. "Thought he'd never leave." He muttered, then Erin blinked realising he'd deliberately talked like that to her to get him to leave by making Jonno think they were about to argue, although her answer had been the truth. "You don't grow up with Ingrid without learning a few things." Vlad smirked at her and Erin laughed, all tension slipping away.

He turned and began to pick at her cuffs with the buckle from his belt. He'd managed to twist it around on his waist and snap off the clasp to form a pick to use on the lock. Erin now understood why he'd been moving so much – he'd been working it around.

He stood and held out his hand to her, Erin looked at it. Vlad's gaze lowered, he'd done it subconsciously. He began to draw it back when Erin grabbed it and pulled herself upwards. He tried to pull his arms back hut her fingers bit into his forearm as she pushed his jumper and shirt upwards to expose his wrists.

"Does it hurt?"

If he was mortal his heart would have skipped a beat, "What's it to you?" He snapped at her to cover himself, she didn't look hurt as he expected her to, instead she was silently repeating what she'd asked and was expecting a proper answer this time. "It won't hurt for long." He pulled his arms back, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Come on."

"Through that?" She gestured to the purple neon lights around them. "It's a UV cage. You'll burn." She glanced around the room, trying to locate the switch to turn it off. There wasn't one, clearly they'd considered she'd escape and free him.

"I've got through one before."

Erin straightened and he smirked. "Bertrand?" She guessed, it seemed like something he'd do.

"Bertrand." He confirmed.

Vlad stretched out his arm and concentrated. The emotions that flickered across his face intrigued her, his fangs lowered and his eyes turned to bottomless abysses. Erin was transfixed, she'd seen his powers demonstrated before but he'd never used this much concentration. She was terrified that the sound of her breathing would put him off.

At the back of her mind all she could think was that this was too easy. The way Jonno had conveniently left them, the fact there were no guards and the fact that such a meagre device had been used to cage Vlad.

They wanted them to escape and Erin didn't know why. She was almost reluctant to go but she knew worse things could happen if they stayed.

The thing that made up her mind was that they couldn't find out about Vlad.

Vlad grabbed her and forced her head down as the lights above them exploded, showering broken glass all over them. Erin felt the glass catching and slicing into her jumper, she tried to push her head up but she couldn't escape Vlad's grip. "That wasn't supposed to happen." He muttered under his breath a split second before sirens began to wail throughout the facility. "We haven't got long."

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Erin dashed towards the desk, Vlad watched her in confusion. He was ready to leave. She could have gone to it while he was trying to break the cage.

Erin rummaged through the items on the desk, there were plans and files on a number of things. She read the labels thankful that the folders were yellow.

"Are you coming or not?" Vlad asked her, "Unless you want to re-join the Guild…" He trailed off.

Erin thought she heard a bit of sadness creep into his voice before it vanished. Her eyes snapped to his to see his face straightening emotionlessly, she would have given anything to see the emotion he held underneath. She would never consider re-joining the Guild; she wouldn't be a slayer again. It had only ever brought unhappiness to her.

Erin grabbed the files off the desk.

"What's that?" He asked her quietly.

"Something that might be useful." She told him with a smile tucking them into the back of her skirt.

He opened his arms for her and she knew what he was asking. He was asking to leave.

She wrapped her arms around him, trying not to sigh as she felt his arms tighten around her. She expected him to be less gentle but he was using just enough pressure.

Guilt welled up in her as she realised she felt safe. She tried to squash it down but couldn't help it. She closed her eyes, telling herself that it was because she'd get motion sickness.

Behind them the door opened and the room filled with commotion.

He whispered into her ear. "Time to go." He was warning her to close her eyes if she hadn't already done so.

Erin nodded.

Just before he took off he felt something bury itself into his back and he stumbled into Erin. She caught him, giving him the balance he needed to leave the second base behind.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	6. Immobilised

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I hope this is different to my other fics. I wanted to try something different but as usual I'm interweaving plots. I hope it's not too much of a disappointment._

_I always try to alter my fics to what people would prefer as I go along. I use the reviews to guide and shape the story, hopefully making each chapter better than the last in response._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 6: Immobilised

Vlad let go of Erin the second they landed and stepped back reaching behind him. Whatever was lodged in his back was hindering him in his return to the school. If he wanted to get back there safely then it had to be removed at any cost.

Erin watched him in complete confusion, he seemed to be trying to get something. A look of triumph crossed his face as he began to pull something from his back.

He let out a hiss as he didn't realise how long it was. The skin tore around the entry point as he pulled it out at an angle before he threw it across the ground. It bounced along the stone floors.

Erin followed the object with her eyes until it came to a halt. Her breath caught in her throat as she realised what it was. A needle.

There were many different things that could be in that needle and not all of them were harmless.

Within moments he stumbled reaching out for the crumbling wall. His legs began to tingle and he collapsed downwards, fear gripping him as he lost all sensation in his legs.

Erin darted towards him but he batted her away, he was fine. He didn't need her help and he didn't want it.

"Let me take a look." Erin commanded, gesturing to his spine where the needle had entered directly on course. It had definitely been intended for him from where it had entered him; it was designed to make contact with his nerves as the contents couldn't enter his system through his blood.

Vlad shuffled back using his arms to pull himself backwards until he rested against the wall. "No."

Erin folded her arms over her chest, staring him down. "Being stubborn won't help."

Vlad tipped his head, "I'm a vampire, I'm supposed to be stubborn."

"I'm not leaving you alone until you do." She looked at him on the floor, "And there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Erin was now the one with the power and Vlad hated it.

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Erin won. Vlad hated that fact as he found himself lying face down as she gently inspected his back. He wouldn't admit it to her but her touch seemed to soothe him, removing the tension he felt in his back, the upper part at least. Erin gently pressed on his spine. "Can you feel this?"

Vlad shook his head. "Tell me if you can feel anything." She continued downwards to the base of his spine. She couldn't help the flush that covered her cheeks as she journeyed lower and lower. She was worried when he didn't say anything. "How do you feel?" She asked quietly.

"My arms are tingling but I can't feel my legs or anything down there." His voice had frustration barely disguised in it. "How do you know how to do this?"

"First aid training." Erin told him softly, Vlad nodded slowly. Erin had been trained in first aid, just like every slayer before and after her.

"So?" He asked hopefully.

"It'll wear off." She answered, that she knew with conviction.

He needed to get out of here, he hated the sensations that were raging throughout his body. "How long?"

"A day, two at most." Vlad groaned and slammed his head back against the wall. The whole thing shifted and Erin jumped backwards, afraid of the wall falling on her. "They wanted to stop you escaping." Two was more pessimistic, Vlad was strong enough to have resisted the drug as long as he did so she assumed his body could fight it but she didn't want to give him an optimistic assessment and have him snapping at her once again.

"What is it exactly?"

"An immobiliser," She answered slowly, "Makes vampires easier targets to slay but it's mainly used for interrogation so a slayer can get closer. It usually works quicker but you're stronger than other vampires." She'd never seen it used but she'd been taught about it. It was actually one of the most humane things the slayers used and she knew that there were things that she never even wanted to think about again lurking in those stores.

Vlad looked down, muttering darkly. "Suppose you've been trained how to use it."

Erin wanted him to understand something, "Vlad just because I was trained it doesn't mean I will ever use that training." She would never use slayer techniques or weapons on him. The only thing she might use is the style of hand to hand combat she'd been taught – if she ever needed it.

Vlad saw a flaw in that the moment she spoke, "You killed a vampire. I'd say you used your training."

Erin felt her eyes water, she'd cried herself to sleep more than enough over that. She couldn't kill another creature deliberately but she'd inadvertently killed one of Vlad's kind. It might not have been deliberate but the feeling that followed was still the same. The only thing that consoled her that it had been her in the room and not Vlad. She'd saved him. "I didn't do it on purpose. It was an accident."

"How do you accidentally kill a vampire? Did the stake slip from your grip and just happen to land in the vampire?" He asked her sarcastically but the venom was still there.

Erin stood sharply, walking away from him to fetch firewood. "I'm not having this argument with *this*," She waved her hand towards him, "You."

He looked away, looking like a small child. "It's the only me you'll get."

"We'll see about that." She muttered under her breath. If he heard her, and she knew he had, he didn't comment.

"Thank you." He whispered but the words were forced from his lips.

His words drew her back to him, she almost stumbled on the ground. "What for?"

He tried to shrug but failed. "Pushing me out of the way at the school," Erin's face crumpled in confusion. She couldn't remember doing anything like that. "When the glass broke…" He pressed but she didn't show any signs of understanding what he meant. "Never mind." His voice dropped lower as he realised she didn't know she'd done it.

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Vlad's jaw was clenched shut tightly. He tried to ignore the pressure that was building in his fangs as they fought to lower. He tried not to inhale her scent, it was better if he ignored it but it was intoxicating. He wanted to tell her to get back but it would show weakness. Her scent was growing stronger thanks to the heat of the campfire she'd built.

"You need blood." She told him quietly. She knew the signs well enough even if he'd never drank his blood substitute in front of her, she knew when he had to leave. "And I'm not letting you near my neck." She told him firmly. She patted through her pockets looking for something. She found what she was looking for letting out a small triumphant cry.

A small packet burst from her pocket, she waved it in front of him. The paper packaging crinkling as she moved it around in her grip.

"What's that?" He asked, looking at it suspiciously.

"Something in case you tried to bite me again." She answered with a smile. She slowly unwrapped her prize. She held up the contents to him. Black pudding. Not a lot of it but enough to keep him sated for now. She'd stored it there just in case he became too hungry to resist biting her again.

Vlad knew that if she gave that to him now, she wouldn't have anything that might just put him off biting her later. He didn't want to bite her but he couldn't afford a lapse in his judgement again. "There's some soy blood behind that stone." He muttered with distain. He wasn't looking forward to the bland muck but it was all he had.

"How do you know?" A thought crossed her mind, "Or can you smell it?" She'd assumed soy blood was odourless not having come from an actual human being.

"I put it there. Where do you think I came in that week?" Erin hadn't really considered where he'd been for the week.

Erin stood slowly, her feet scuffing along the floor as she moved towards the stone in question.

For the first time she actually studied the ruins they were in. The limestone bricks were crumbling but still looked safe, they were windowless, ivy and trees stretching through the large glassless arched windows. The ruins weren't of a manor house or any form of building like that. They had a large wing on either side and looked like a balcony up top. There wasn't any evidence of separate rooms having ever existed. There were no seats in the room either, it seemed everything valuable had been stripped from the building. The front of the ruins was slightly raised, then it clicked. Those weren't wings they were aisles and the raise part was an altar.

These were the ruins of a monastery or church of some kind. It was the last place she ever expected for him to go.

"You came here?" Erin asked him softly, spinning around in the ruins. "Isn't it a bit…"

"Blasphemous?" He questioned eyebrows rising. Erin nodded. "I don't think I've done anything evil enough to be struck down with lightning yet do you?" He asked pointedly.

Erin couldn't help the words that tumbled from her lips. "Not for lack of trying… no." He couldn't help the bark of laughter that spilled from his lips.

She handed him the bottle of blood, he tried to take it from her but while he managed to weakly life his arm he couldn't get his fingers to close around it. It dropped back down with a loud chink, luckily it didn't break.

Erin moved towards him and unscrewed the lid and held the bottle to his lips. She hesitantly placed her right hand behind his head to guide him as he drank. Vlad's eyes flickered to hers, he was amazed by the compassion in them – she should want him weakened to get the other him back.

Vlad could feel the soy blood leaking from his mouth and closed his eyes. The moment she removed the bottle she'd see it. He didn't want her to see him like that. He didn't want her to see him finally as the blood thirsty monster he was trying to be.

As he swallowed the remaining blood she took it from his lips, she saw a trickle of soy blood at the corner of his mouth but she wasn't disgusted. She reached out a hand and gently wiped it away. His eyes snapped open at her actions. Erin knew it was a part of him that he couldn't change and she wouldn't ask him to. It wasn't his fault it had happened, it was probably hers from the way she'd held the bottle.

Erin sat down opposite him, far away so he couldn't lunge for her should he become thirsty later. "I wouldn't have thought you'd like this kind of place." A small shrug slipped from her shoulders.

Vlad looked at her, his eyes blackening for the briefest of instants. "You don't know anything about me. You're just like them – you only want one thing from me even though..." He trailed off, looking away before she could see just how much of a nerve her innocent words had hit.

She knew nothing about him and she didn't even care to try. She knew the other him. He closed his eyes as he looked down, he could feel bile rising in his throat. He gulped forcing it back down, feeling the burning sensation from the acid in his throat. No one wanted him or cared enough to even try.

It only confirmed what he already knew - he was better off on his own.

He closed his eyes and rested his head back against the stone wall. His whole body stilled in a matter of minutes and Erin could tell he'd drifted off to sleep.

Erin felt guilty at her words; she should have considered what she'd said. This Vlad was more of a loose cannon, he was bitter and that's what made him so dangerous although to look at him now she wouldn't have thought so.

He looked so peaceful lying there, so much younger and so much more innocent. To look at him you wouldn't have considered him to be a vampire or to have been through so much. A lock of his hair had fallen across his face. She couldn't help herself she reached out and brushed it from his eyes, smoothing it back into place. She held her breath as he moved his head, almost leaning into her touch. A smile crossed her face and she felt peaceful for the first time looking at him.

She scolded herself for that.

Looking up at the sky she knew she'd need to get water and firewood. They wouldn't be there long but she needed it even if he didn't.

Erin stood slowly, turning away from him when she heard it.

A sound that made her heart stop and terror grip her.

Slowly she turned, her legs shaking as she did so to confront it.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_As I said I hope I'm not disappointing anyone._

_Thanks for reading._


	7. Scratches

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_My friend texted me today with something brilliant and I've been bouncing up and down all day…_

_YD IS COMING OUT ON DVD AT THE START OF OCTOBER!_

Chapter 7: Scratches

A low growl echoed around the stone masonry, ricocheting off the limestone walls, bounding off the ceiling and reverberating across the floor. She couldn't see anything in the limited light from the small campfire that was slowly dying, but she knew something was there.

Erin had never heard anything like it; none of the vampires she lived with had ever made that sound.

It was animalistic in nature.

She shivered and shook from a mixture of fear and cold air. Her thin wool jumper did nothing to keep the biting winter wind from her. Her fists clenched at her side as she stood as still as possible hoping that it would think she was a statue, sniff her and leave her alone.

Drool dripped from long canine fangs. She took a step backwards slipping slightly on the damp flagstone exactly where the roof leaked.

The fur was long, black and matted. She looked towards Vlad; the creature was in between them. He – she assumed it was a he as it looked masculine – wasn't interested in the vampire.

It looked like a wolf but there was something strange about this wolf. It wasn't quite a werewolf, she'd seen pictures in Ingrid's magazines and this looked nothing like one.

She regained her balance after a moments panic. She didn't want to be one of those damsels in distress types that tripped over every blade of grass in the movies.

The wolf lunged for her, swiping his large paw outwards. Erin managed to dodge it, just barely. Ducking down and out of the way. She didn't get out of the way of the other paw though. It swiped from her right.

Erin cried out as claws sliced through her upper arm. She staggered back as she instinctively drew her injured arm towards herself.

A wave of air shot out and hit the wolf in the side, sending him careening through one of the glassless arched windows. Erin looked in the direction of the blast coming face to face with a wide awake Vlad. She nodded to him in thanks.

Vlad tore his gaze from her; she could see the anger in it directed at her. She shivered at the intensity.

The creature bounded noisily back into the room, Vlad lowered his fangs and spat at the wolf. Erin stared between them. The wolf looked at him, in defiance at first before whimpering and vanishing.

Vlad lasted a whole second before he lost his temper with her for her stupidity. "You don't wander off here!" Vlad snapped at her, although the snap had less effect considering he was on the floor.

"I didn't get very far!" She'd only managed to get about three metres if that from him.

"That doesn't matter." He could have lost her but he quickly pushed that thought back. Luckily he hadn't fully drifted off yet, he'd felt her touching him and he enjoyed it.

"I needed water and we need more wood…" She trailed off, "You didn't say anything about wolves…"

"I didn't think I had to!" He snapped at her again, "At night it's dangerous here. This is werewolf territory." It was the one place he knew his father wouldn't follow him to and wouldn't think to look. "You were lucky that was a mutt and not a pure werewolf!"

"It's dangerous in here too, or did you forget that Vlad?" Erin asked him, her eyes maintaining contact with his. Vlad knew he was beaten then, he looked downwards. He changed the subject.

"Did he bite you?"

"I don't…" Erin had never considered actually being bitten she'd only thought about being torn to shreds. It was something that had never occurred to her being bitten by a werewolf. The idea of becoming nothing more than a crazed animal every twenty eight days was enough to make her shudder. In that instant she knew she'd rather be bitten by a vampire than a werewolf.

Vlad asked her more forcefully, "Did he bite you?" He searched her body looking for any other obvious signs other than her bleeding arm.

"No."

He wasn't as convinced, "Are you sure?"

"He just slashed me." She assured him, trying to ignore the painful sensation that was beginning to course through her arms as the adrenalin wore off. She showed him her arm more closely.

Vlad straightened himself out, using his hands to push himself upwards. "Come here." He commanded.

Erin blinked, "What?"

"Come here." He repeated slowly, gesturing to her arm, he wanted to check for himself that it wasn't a bite.

Erin wasn't too sure. "It's blood Vlad." She knew how the Count and Ingrid reacted to the scent of blood, she wasn't even going to consider how Bertrand had reacted last time, the memory still gave her nightmares,

"I can handle it." He assured her. Something inside of her told her to trust him; she was surprised at that feeling. Erin cautiously made her way towards him.

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His arms were still tingling so with clumsy fingers he pulled the bloodied shirt from her arm. Some of the blood had dried, forcing the material to stick to it like glue, as he pulled it back she hissed as the shallow edges reopened. "You know first aid?" She asked surprised, she'd been taught it. She couldn't' imagine why Vlad would know it especially with Renfield living with them as he took care of all of their needs.

Vlad thought it was obvious, "How do you think I've managed to deal with Dad's rampages all these years?" Erin smiled despite herself.

"We need something to clean it." They didn't have any water and there would be too much bacteria in any nearby stream or river which would most likely give her an infection.

Vlad shifted his weight and reached into his pocket to reveal a small pack of wet wipes. She gave him a stunned look; he looked at the wipes held limply in his grip. "Blood goes everywhere when breathers struggle." Erin tried to pull her arm back from him but she failed, his grip was vicelike. "Hold still." He told her as he fumbled with the packet, eventually managing to pull out one of the wipes. He gently wiped the blood from her arms.

"Doesn't this tempt you?"

Vlad could deny it but she'd know he was lying so he settled for the truth. "Yeah." He admitted, "But you can't do this yourself can you?" Erin shook her head in response, the slashes were wide and long and she couldn't clean them, she wouldn't be able to reach all the way around her arm. "They aren't deep enough for stitches. You just need to keep them clean."

"Thank you." She told him sincerely, he looked at the scratched, "For saving me." Erin watched as he concentrated on cleaning her up. "Why didn't he touch you?"

"They know who I am." He shrugged and this time managed it. "They won't hurt me or even try to because they know I can wipe them out." Hurting him would start a war if not from him from his kind. The wolves were the ones who kept requesting treaties because they knew the vampires could easily wipe them out.

He reached under his jumper and a tearing noise filled the air immediately around them, she watched as he produced the yellow sleeve from under his jumper.

Without a word he began to bind her arm tightly to protect the scratches.

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As he bound the wound he saw her shiver. "Wear my jacket." He spoke to her softly, "It'll help keep you warm." Erin looked at him unsure whether he was being sincere or not.

"You don't have to pretend Vlad, I know who you are."

"I'm not pretending." He told her seriously. He shrugged out of his jacket and held it out to her, she slipped it on. It was far too big for her but she could smell his unique scent all over it. It comforted her. "You might as well sleep next to me. It'd be better for you if you did."

"Vlad…" She began to protest.

"I want to do this." He nodded as he spoke, his words were sincere. Erin felt her heart skip a beat and she hoped Vlad hadn't heard it. "It'll protect you from wolves being near me, they'll think you're my meal." Erin felt her heart drop at his words although she didn't know why. His words should have affected her at all.

Vlad shifted himself around to lie down on the floor; it would be more comfortable for her.

Erin sighed before lowering herself down, leaving more than enough distance between them. "Closer." He muttered and Erin leaned into him and Vlad wrapped his arms as best as he could around her drawing her until she rested on his chest.

"You're cold," She spoke; her voice was muffled against his jumper.

"I'm warmer than the damp floor." He reminded her and she smirked before hiding it but not quickly enough to stop him from seeing it. "Just because I might have the odd urge to bite you…"

Erin pulled herself back and he groaned, cursing himself for forcing her to pull away from him. He wanted to move and grab her shoulders but that stupid immobiliser drug stopped him from doing that. He wanted to feel her against him, she'd willingly – although hesitantly – just come within his personal space.

"'Odd urge'?!" She questioned angrily but stopped from going further when she saw the laughter in his eyes, she growled herself and moved further away from him. "Can't you be a little more like him?" She asked frustratingly. She shuffled away from him stubbornly.

"I can." He answered, "You know that. I hate it." Erin sighed and shook her head; he'd just reminded her why it wasn't a good idea to be near him. "Just come back." He ordered her.

Erin folded her arms over her chest looking at him stubbornly. "You can't order me Vladimir Dracula. Unless you bite me."

Vlad was tempted to lower his fangs but he didn't want her to be terrified of him, he didn't mind making her nervous or afraid but he didn't want her to become so terrified that she wouldn't come near him again.

"Please come back." He requested, he genuinely wanted her next to him and although Erin was loathe to admit it she wanted to be back next to him as well.

"Are you going to be nice?" That sounded like a childish question but she was tired and if he worked her up anymore she wouldn't be able to sleep.

"I don't do nice." He told her seriously.

"You're going to try until morning." She sternly replied, before settling herself down next to him. She narrowed her eyes to give him a stern warning, "And if I find any bite marks on my neck, loyal or not I will…" She didn't want to say slay because he knew she could never bring herself to slay him. "Do something." She finished lamely.

"You'll 'do something'?" He laughed, the threat was empty. "Is that the best you can do?"

She retorted with a straight face. "I'm not going to tell you am I?"

It seemed her blank expression worried him as he didn't say anything else. She grinned at him before settling against him.

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Vlad felt her breathing slow to a steady rhythm, her heart beating softly in her chest. All the signs were there that she was a breather but he'd never really noticed before, he'd never really had the confidence to stare at her until now. It was laughable, he was the most arrogant vampire but he couldn't bring himself to stare at her.

As breathers and slayers went she was beautiful, if he admitted the truth to himself she was even more beautiful than the women of his kind.

He wanted her next to him because he wanted her to be safe.

He stroked her hair lightly; it was as silky as he remembered. The glow of the campfire made it seem almost brown. He lowered his hand and placed it on the small of her back, holding her to him. Erin shifted her weight naturally, her head slipped into a comfortable place on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and relished the warmth of her body by his.

Vlad couldn't help himself; he pressed a light kiss to her temple before jumping as she sighed in response and buried herself deeper into his embrace.

He closed his eyes and let the sound of her soft breathing lure him to a restful sleep.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	8. Barely A Second

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'd like to ask people what they want…_

_Would you like me to do a Bertrand/Ingrid romance or leave them as they are?_

Chapter 8: Barely A Second

Something being fastened around her arm brought her out of her restful sleep. She struggled to remember where she was at first then everything came back to her.

Erin pushed herself upright, her tired muscles creaking and her bones cracking as she tried to straighten out. She winced as she moved her neck to fast and a pain shot from the base of her neck to the base of her skull. She turned to look at her arm which had been redressed with a new piece of cloth.

She watched as Vlad clicked his fingers and sent the old makeshift bandage into little more than a scorch mark on the ground. "Thanks." She smiled, amazed that he'd been so gentle to have cleaned the wound again and redressed it.

She didn't think he was capable of it – this side of him at least.

"How are you feeling?"

"My arms have stopped tingling, but my legs have started tingling. It's better than feeling nothing though." The sensation was more welcome, before it had been terrifying. He looked down before back at her concerned gaze, he didn't like talking about himself it made him feel weak. "Aren't you going to check your neck?" He asked referring to her threat a few hours before. Her next words shocked him.

"I trust you." She shrugged, if she wanted to help him she'd decided the best way was to ignore half of the remarks he made to wind her up. It would be a challenge but she'd do her best. Her voice was hoarse and cracked from being so dry.

"Have some soy blood." He suggested, he could tell the thoughts that were racing through her mind, the physical signs were clear as well. She licked her lips trying to wet them and she swallowed trying to ease a dry throat.

"I'm not a vampire."

"It won't hurt you." He assured her, she narrowed her eyes. "You told me to be nice, I'm being nice," He lifted his arm up to glance at his watch. 6:30. "For the next half hour." It was the time they usually woke up in the school, 7am so he was going to be nice until then.

Erin stood and made her way towards the rock and picked up two bottles of soy blood. She handed one to him, this time he managed to unscrew the lid and lift it to his lips without any difficulty. "You don't drink that around me." Even when he'd thought she was a half fang he'd never drank in front of her.

Vlad shrugged, he'd never felt comfortable drinking it around her and even now he didn't. He didn't know what it was he'd drunk it in front of his father and the others without feeling the least but guilty since he'd taken control but he felt like a monster drinking it in front of her. He didn't want to be a monster to her.

A worry crept through her, she was vegetarian. "Is this animal…"

"It's synthetic, it's not real blood. It'll be just like drinking vitamin water for you."

Erin pulled a face, looking at the bottle in disgust, "Have you ever drunk vitamin water?" She asked pointedly, Vlad shook his head. "It's disgusting."

She unscrewed the bottle and brought it up to her lips, Vlad watched her with interest. She took a sip, she wasn't going to back down. The moment she tasted it her mouth rejected it and she spat it out, she gagged trying to get ever last morsel from her mouth. Vlad laughed at her reaction. She shuddered as the taste lingered, it refreshed her mouth.

It was worse than vitamin water. She looked at it with unrestrained loathing. How he could drink this regularly she didn't know. She suddenly understood his reflection's craving for real blood.

"It's all we've got." He grinned.

Erin gave him the dirtiest look she could muster only succeeding in making him laugh harder.

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Erin twirled the half full bottle around in her fingers; Vlad had long since finished his.

"You're right; I don't know anything about you."

"Because no one ever wants to know the reflection." He mumbled, it was true that's one reason the reflection always won – because they wanted to be noticed and drew strength from that.

"The first thing you tried to do was drain me… you've tried to drain me three…"

"Four." He corrected smugly.

"What?"

"I tried to drain you four times." He seemed almost proud that he'd kept count of that. Twice when she tried to stop him biting Miss McCauley, once in the foyer and once in his room. That totalled four.

"You don't need to sound so smug about it."

Vlad's face crumpled indignantly. "It's not my fault your slayer brain can't count."

Erin wanted to hit him for calling her 'slayer' again she managed to squash it – barely. "I miss the bit-nicer-but-still-evil Vlad now." She told him darkly, fixing him with a pointed gaze. He gave her a shrug, it was a momentary slip. "Why did you stop?"

He answered her question with one of his own but he hesitated and she picked up on it. "Who says I have?"

"You. You said I'd live if I didn't tell anyone about you."

That's what he'd told himself too.

Vlad wanted to know something else, he'd been hurt at the time so he hadn't wanted to listen to the truth, he'd snapped at her trying to hurt her before she hurt him again. "I don't get why you didn't tell anyone I wasn't the Vlad they knew. You kept it secret."

Erin looked towards the oak tree stretching into the church ruins as if trying to touch the ceiling. "The book, like you said." The something else crossed her mind, "And you kept my secret."

He knew she was lying. "Erin…"

Erin couldn't help the words that flowed from her mouth. "Because you're like him." He bristled at that, "You can be so different from each other but the same. You both share the same emotions." He made a noise that sounded like a protest, "I know you feel them, you just try to ignore them. Protect yourself from being hurt. Vlad's too trusting but you can't trust people. Vlad tries to please everyone and gets hurt but you try to hurt others first to stop them hurting you. I knew they'd hurt both of you if they found out."

She did know him. That surprised him, she could see underneath the façade something no one else could or even tried to do. "You know I came here because I couldn't be near Dad." Vlad told her softly, Erin knew he'd become softer in that moment. He hadn't relinquished control yet but he let himself be more exposed in front of her. "That's why neither of us could stay."

"Because he tried to take your power?" She asked softly.

"Because he didn't like either side of his son." Vlad snapped at her, he claimed to prefer him over his good side but didn't like the power he held. "Just like you don't like this side of me." Erin looked into his eyes, they were raw and exposed. For the first time since he'd appeared she could see into his soul. "But I am him." His voice became like velvet against her ears, she fought to stop herself from closing them. "Just with more confidence."

There was one other major contrast he wasn't seeing. "And more evil." She was convinced it came out as a stutter as his words had affected her to the core.

He snickered at that, "It's always been there. You saw it when we met." She'd seen him demonstrate his power to Ingrid when she'd worked him up and she'd heard the unsaid threats he'd used on his father when he was desperate to cure Ingrid. Something this side of him bitterly regretted doing, he should have left her to the infection. "I just wish you could see that." His voice was quiet and tinged with sadness. "I wish you could see me."

"If you stopped trying to hurt me I might." She answered honestly. "But I've hurt you too much as well." It was a two way thing. She'd built a web of lies that had started to unravel the moment he found out that she was mortal. She should have told him at the start she was a slayer but she didn't want him to hate her for something she couldn't change and unfortunately that had happened. "I'm sorry for that."

Vlad's gaze snapped to hers, he searched her eyes for any signs of deception but he couldn't find any.

Vlad reached out at her words and cupped her cheek; she leaned into his touch and didn't pull away. A smile flickered across his lips but it was a natural one not a smug one this time. He brushed his thumb across her lips slowly. They were comfortingly warm.

He leaned closer to her and brushed his lips against hers with a feather light touch. It lasted barely a second.

He pulled away from her, Erin's eyes snapped open. She darted to her feet, "I'm sorry."

"Erin!" He called after her as she vanished as quickly as she could.

He watched her leave, for the first time feeling scared of the feelings she was bringing to the forefront. He thought he'd crushed them and forced them to the back of his mind. He'd let himself tap into them when she was around before he found out what she was. He'd told himself he was only pretending, trying to convince her that he was her Vlad.

Now it felt painful to have deceived her, even if she'd known the whole time.

He looked down, cursing himself for appearing vulnerable to her. He pushed his head into his hands, pressing his palms into his eyes to force the burning back.

For some reason her rejection hurt him more than any of the lies she'd told him.

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The former slayer leaned against the wall outside; she touched her lips before looking up to the heavens. Everything was getting more and more confusing. She didn't know why she'd let him do that. She'd encouraged him leaning into his touch.

It hadn't been his fault it had been hers. She felt like she was betraying her Vlad by letting him kiss her.

She'd enjoyed it though, brief as it was. She thought she'd seen the real him as he'd done it. He hadn't been callous or hurt her and that made her heart flutter like it did around his normal self.

When he'd kissed her he'd been her Vlad, there was no line separating them.

She was starting to get confused. What did it all mean?

She glanced back towards where Vlad was, she could see him resting his head in his hands.

She'd hurt him again.

She'd never meant to.

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The tension in the throne room could have been cut with a knife. The Count paced back and forth. Bertrand looked across at Ingrid who seemed to be wincing with every step the Count took. "My son was taken by slayers in this school!" The Count roared, "He could be anywhere if the slayers haven't turned him to ash."

"I've searched, I can't find him. His mind has been permanently blocked from me since he left last time." Bertrand reminded him.

"You haven't done a good job, just like last time."

"He'll be back." Ingrid snapped, "He always is."

Lightning flashed outside at her words, "Last time he wasn't taken by slayers."

"He was with Erin at the time." Ingrid answered instinctively before wincing as she said the words. If Vlad found out she'd said it he'd probably kill her. He'd used his powers on her already in his normal state and not his evil one to protect Erin; she knew he wouldn't hesitate to go the extra length.

Bertrand looked at Ingrid immediately, he shook his head. He was on his last warning with Vlad and he'd been there when Vlad carried through with his threat to do whatever it took to save Erin. If Ingrid even tried to shift the blame onto him he wouldn't go down alone, that he vowed.

"Vlad could have those slayers for breakfast, they want an agreement they won't hurt him." Ingrid told her father, Vlad would get out of there. That's if Erin hadn't betrayed him. She looked at Bertrand and saw a matching thought in his head. They seemed to be daring each other to say it first.

"They took him from the school! I knew we should have run away when we had the chance."

Bertrand looked at the Count, "Vlad doesn't run from his problems."

"He used to." The Count disagreed, Ingrid straightened in her seat. Her father was right, when had Vlad changed? It couldn't have been that long ago but she couldn't put her finger on it.

A movement caught the Count's eye and he looked at the creature hovering in the doorway, hunched over looking embarrassed. "What is it Renfield?"

"Mistress Ingrid." Renfield asked, poking his head around the door. "You have a visitor."

The Count immediately laughed, "A visitor for Ingrid?" That was something that had never happened before in this school.

Renfield double checked the request in his mind, he nodded as he was certain he'd got it right the first time. "They did ask for Mistress Ingrid, Master."

Ingrid was confused, who could want to see her. She knew where her half fangs were and not one of them would dare approach her other than Ryan. "Who is it?"

Renfield opened his mouth before stuttering something unintelligible. He looked down and tried to mime something that looked more like someone trying not to fall on their backside after slipping on ice.

Understanding dawned on Ingrid.

Something had come back to bite her in the neck.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	9. Mess

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I've managed to upload a couple of videos to YouTube yay! I've never done it before, or made a video before._

_One's my favourite song that inspires all my fics (Wherever You Will Go) and the other one I think fits this fic, describing Erin's feelings towards Bad Vlad and how she feels towards Good Vlad (7 Things). _

_If anyone's curious my account name on YouTube is the same as my author name._

Chapter 9: Mess

Ingrid had a feeling welling up inside her that she hadn't had for years. It gnawed at her soul, eating its way upwards.

She wouldn't admit it to anyone but she was nervous.

Vlad had given her what she wanted.

Now she had to deal with the consequences. Never had it ever crossed her mind that if she sided with her brother that she'd get what she always wanted. Ever since she was young she'd tried to take the power from him.

Her heels clicked on the cobbles as she stepped into the air.

A figure lurked in the shadows protected from the sunlight, tall and daunting, silhouetted from behind by the sunlight. She didn't know how he'd managed to reach the school in the daylight unscathed. She faltered in her step, hoping that whoever had come to meet her didn't notice her hesitation.

He stepped closer to her so she could see his tall muscular figure and dark skin. He bowed to her, lifting her hand so he could gently kiss her fingers out of respect.

"Ramanga." She smiled, before bowing in respect as he stood back up. Ingrid honestly couldn't see why he was supposed to command such respect considering her dad was the Regent and Vlad would soon be in power. He was classed as the 'clans' chief' a role that rightfully belonged to the Regent until Vlad came into power. She shook her head slightly at the thought of actually defending the Count's current title.

"Is something the matter?" He questioned having noticed her shaking her head.

Ingrid plastered a slight smile onto her face, "Everything's fine." She blinked to add effect.

Ramanga smirked and stood back to his full height. "I hear the book was nothing more than a prison, false hopes and dreams. You were right about shaping our own destiny." He seemed slightly… daunted, that a mere woman had managed to predict the outcome.

"I know." She came across clear and confident, "That's what you get when you pin your hopes on a bedtime story."

"You didn't believe it?" She must have thought at some point it was true, everyone else seemed to believe it.

"How can anyone tell the future?" That's what she honestly believed, Vlad had visions but they were only set in the present never the future. It was the stuff of teenage novels and science fiction. She was angry her kind had actually begun to believe it. They were so gullible and that thought angered her.

She and Vlad were very alike in that respect, they didn't believe in what everyone else seemed to, they wanted to shape their own destiny and were far more practical. It was probably the result of having an unhappy upbringing with a mother like theirs that they'd long since stopped believing in happy endings.

"What's your plan?" He asked her standing tall, circling her slowly.

She tried to sound confident. "The plan for what?"

"Taking your brother's throne of course and for you to lead us into the future." He whispered into her ear. At the time she'd put up with the attention he'd been giving her because it was what she wanted but now she found that it repulsed her more and more.

Ingrid fought the urge to pull away from him sharply. "One step at a time."

"You haven't lost your nerve have you? I have risked a lot amongst my clan to get them to support you."

"I never back down." She snapped at him, fire in her words making him laugh. She wished she hadn't said those words; she'd bound herself more to the stupid mistake she'd made in the beginning. "But," She circled him slowly, repeating his actions from a moment before, "My brother has changed since he emerged from the mirror, he's less trusting of his clan…"

"So you want to involve trust in your plan. I like it, there's nothing more delicious than betrayal for power." Ingrid shuddered as Ramanga seemed to savour the words he was speaking, she did her best not to let it show on her face but she couldn't be convinced that it wasn't in her eyes. "How long will it take?"

"My brother trusts far too easily." She blurted out; she cursed herself old habits of slandering her brother were hard to shake. "That was before, it might take longer. Then I'll strike when he least expects it."

Ramanga nodded, seemingly agreeing with her plan. "And you'll tell us when you intend to strike so we can join in with the battle?" He enjoyed fighting; it had been too long since he'd fought against another vampire to take what was theirs for himself.

She managed to fake a look of complete obviousness; it seemed to please him so she knew she'd succeeded. "Of course."

"Will you lead on your own or find someone to share the role with you?"

Ingrid had never considered that, her expression froze half way. She remembered suggesting a partnership to Ramanga, she'd hoped he'd forgotten but vampires had long memories. "Let's deal with my brother first, then we can discuss that."

"Your highness." He bowed low, gloating about her future position. Ingrid forced herself to keep smiling at him despite the fact her heart plummeted to her boots. His face twisted into a sneer, his two fangs lowering. Ingrid had never noticed before, he didn't have the four that she did. He wasn't a half fang but he only had two, which confused her. She was sure she'd seen another vampire with only two as well but she couldn't put her finger on who.

He trailed his hand up her arm and she shivered. He seemed to interpret that as her enjoying his ministrations and for the moment she was content to let him believe that as it was her neck on the line. Her head snapped back suddenly as his firm hand gripped her neck but stroked it. Ingrid didn't dare move. "Remember Dracula if you think about double crossing me I will make you pay." He suddenly released her forcing her to stumble backwards. Her hands went to her throat as she could still feel the sensation of his hand around it; with wide eyes she shook her head. "Until next time Ingrid Dracula."

With that he vanished, keeping to the shadows to find shelter until nightfall.

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Ingrid leaned back against the pillar, closing her eyes. She didn't know what she'd gotten herself into. She rubbed her throat, if she was mortal it would have bruised but being immortal it just throbbed.

She pushed herself from the pillar, not caring that her nails broke and chapped against the Stuart brick work, or that flakes of brick and centuries old cement clung to her fingers.

She folded her arms over her chest, her satin dress creasing at her actions. Her gaze remained fixed on the cobbled, tracing over flecks of moss that was crowing in between the stones.

She jumped as a pair of black shoes appeared in her vision. She trailed her eyes upwards along long legs clothed in dark trousers, her gaze continued its journey coming into contact with a familiar pale blue jacket and tanned skin at the neck before her eyes met battle hardened blue ones and dark curly hair.

Bertrand.

She should have known that he wouldn't give her privacy, especially when Renfield had come to ask for her in front of him. She laughed mentally that the Count didn't care about it. She almost wished he did so he could try and do something about it. She couldn't tell anyone how much of a fool she'd been.

He was known for getting to the point – well when he wasn't manipulating the conversation at least, "Who was it?"

Ingrid said the first name that popped into her head, "Ryan,"

"Ryan." His brow creased for a moment, as if he believed her, this his expression hardened. "I know you Ingrid. You would never come outside for a half fang."

If Ingrid could have paled she would have in that moment. She swallowed a scream of outrage only succeeding in making herself angrier as she was desperate for an outlet of some kind.

Bertrand was the master of noticing small things, he was the one who'd managed to work out she was the blood thief even when her own father hadn't. Vlad didn't care about that because he never touched the stuff but she just knew that he knew who it was and hadn't revealed her, getting himself and Erin grounded in the process.

He stepped closer to Ingrid; he craned his neck to look down at her. Ingrid looked up seeing for the first time how intimidating he could be, she was amazed that Erin had faced him and stood up to him without fainting more than once, in that moment she wouldn't have blamed her if she had.

"Who was it?"

"None of your business."

"Holding secret meetings?" He continued, he had a knack of getting to the truth eventually.

"It's none of your business." She repeated slowly and more clearly. Bertrand swept his gaze over her.

She seemed rattled by something and things rarely rattled her. The last time she'd been rattled was when she realised he'd used her to pin the blame on for Erin being locked outside. That brought another consideration to the forefront of his mind, Ingrid wouldn't hesitate in returning the favour.

Bertrand leaned closer to her, not touching her but close enough to give meaning to his next words. "A warning Ingrid, if you try to pin whatever you're planning on me, I won't be the only person Vlad turns to dust."

That's what Ingrid had thought earlier, before she'd come outside. She was pleased to know that she could predict him so well, at least concerning this.

He stepped away from her but didn't move, "What are you waiting for?" She asked gesturing with her eyes for him to leave.

Bertrand narrowed his gaze at her before nodding and vanishing back into the school.

She remained where she was for a few minutes longer.

Ingrid didn't know what to do. She'd gotten herself into this mess and there was no way she could get out of it.

If she told Vlad she knew he'd take the power from her and he'd know how treacherous she truly could be. She wasn't even sure if he'd hesitate slaying her anymore.

She really had made a mess of everything. Her quest for power could destroy everything.

She needed someone on her side before she lost everything.

Who though?

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	10. Real

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I now this is going to sound cheeky as I promised thirty chapters but…_

_How would people feel if I increased the number of chapters?_

Chapter 10: Real

Everything had been quiet in that short time between the kiss and the sun rising in the sky. Even the woodland around the ruins of the church was quiet but it was werewolf territory so there would be very few animals that were prepared to lurk around for prey.

Vlad and Erin hadn't even spoken one word to each other. They'd managed to sneak the odd glance towards each other. Vlad thought he'd seen her touching her lips more than once but he didn't have the confidence to look at her for long to double check.

Vlad couldn't wait until he got back to the school, he would have the privacy of his own room and not have to worry about her being attacked by a werewolf or a mutt while he slept or took his eyes off her for more than a minute.

To get back he needed to be able to stand which would allow him to walk before finally giving him the change to fly. Of course that would mean holding her close through the journey but he was strong. He could manage it.

Vlad managed to force his legs to bend and curl underneath him; his legs were still tingling slightly but he could feel them.

He used his arms to push himself off and managed to lift a few inched from the floor. He reached for the wall to help pull himself up but his grip slipped. "For the love of garlic." He snapped as he landed on his back, his spine jolting against the cold floor.

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Erin looked up at him as he let out a small curse, he was growing more and more frustrated. She hesitantly moved towards him.

He saw her coming closer and immediately snarled at her. "I can do this without you!" She nodded and closed her eyes in response, she knew he was going to get much more brutal in his speaking towards her after hurting him again and she was ready for it… she hoped.

He dropped again and Erin decided to ignore him earning a hiss from him.

Erin gently helped bolster him upwards as he dropped again. Eventually she managed to help him stand to his full height, supporting his weight until his legs grew used to support himself.

As soon as she was convinced he could do this she moved backwards.

"I'm sorry." She told him quietly.

"What for?" He answered, Erin opened her mouth to speak, "For making me kiss you?" He finished and she nodded, looking downwards. "I thought for a second that you realised we were the same person, but I guess you look for what you want to see, once a slayer always a slayer…"

She hit him sharply in the arm making him jump, he never expected that. She'd poke him but she'd never hit him before. "Will you stop that?!" She snapped finally back at him. "Is that all you can bring up? The fact I was brought up a slayer? HOW DARE YOU!" She shouted, angrily at him. "You don't know anything about that life." He claimed she needed to know him, but he needed to know that part of her life equally as much.

Vlad was angry, "Because you kept it secret from me until after I found out you slew that vampire."

"I didn't slay the vampire intentionally, and I'm surprised you've never actually asked about that considering the dust was in your coffin." He quietened realising she spoke the truth, he hadn't bothered to hear her side of the story. Her arms flailed in the air. "But do you see why I never told you?" He realised in that moment what she meant, she'd feared how he'd react when she told him and he hadn't disappointed her but he was still angry. "What does the *real* Vlad think about how you're treating me?" Her words were designed to cut into him and they hit the mark.

His let his fangs slide momentarily before forcing them back up before she saw him, his whole body shaking as he fought not to retch. "This isn't a fairy tale Erin," His gaze was piercing, "If he comes back he'll still have me inside him. He won't be the same sweet, boring wimpire you knew, he'll be different – we'll be different. There won't be a happily ever after."

"I'll take that chance." She told him firmly, making him blink in surprise. "Do you realise how much you hurt me?"

"I hurt you?" He laughed, "You were the one…"

She wasn't finished, she didn't mean 'hurt' in just the past tense, she meant it in the present and future ones too. "You're always hurting me, ever since you emerged from that fogging mirror." She swore in vampire terms making him look at her but she didn't care, "You can't speak to me without snapping or insulting me. You're keeping him locked away, taunting me about how I feel, there's a reason I feel that way. I want my boyfriend back…"

A manic glint was in his eyes. "The old Vlad who knows this can't go anywhere. Childish dreams of being normal and getting on with breathers. You know the moment he turns eighteen he can't be with you, we'll be taken away from you and hidden away in Transylvania." He spat at her, the truth was harsh but it was far more than she had been with him – honest. "Being with a breather is disgusting…"

"STOP. JUST… STOP!" She yelled at him, making him stop surprisingly. He looked at her and blinked. She'd never shouted at him before, not like that anyway. "You think I don't know any of that? You think I don't know that this has to end? I'm not stupid Vlad, though you seem to think I am."

His voice softened. "I don't think you're stupid." Erin laughed at him mockingly, that was rich coming from his reflection. "If you'd let me finish I was going to say 'disgusting to the rest of my kind'."

She folded her arms over her chest. "So what makes you so different? What can you do about it?"

That question threw him completely, he hadn't been expecting her to stand up to him. "What?"

"What makes you different. You started the argument you'd better tell me what you mean. What can you do differently about it?" Erin was curious, he'd brought it up and now she wanted to know why.

"I can protect you from them, keep you by my side." It was what he wanted, he'd never considered it before but they worked well together. That was before their feelings were added into the equation.

"Your other side can do that as well." She told him before turning away from him. She didn't want to hear any more.

He reached out and grabbed her arm, spinning her around until she was pulled up against his chest. He could feel her heart beating against his still one. Erin looked down between them. "He won't tell you he loves you."

His words surprised her and they took a moment to recover from. "And you will?" She asked him outright. Vlad dropped his head down; he could hear the heartbreak in her words. "You want me to be with you but you don't care what I want, you treat me like an idiot. You insult me all the time…"

"I'm a vampire Erin." He shrugged, "I can't be weak. I'm not supposed to feel…"

Erin's gaze sharpened at his words, they sliced through him like a stake to the heart. "Is that what you think?" She half shouted at him, "That showing a little emotion makes you weak." She pushed past him, clearly he thought she was weak herself for giving into what she felt. "Thanks, now I know what you think of me."

"Erin…" He didn't mean it that way.

She didn't want to hear any more as she waved her hand signalling she was cutting his off. He slid to the ground and lay down, cursing himself for being such a pig headed idiot.

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Vlad looked towards the window seeing the sun still high in the sky. Erin was still facing away from him, she knew not to but she seemed to be daring him to. He pushed himself to his feet, his shoes crunched on broken flagstones, crushing the small flecks of stone into dust.

He sat down behind her, kneeling so close that his knees brushed her back. He felt her stiffen and straighten, increasing her height by a few inches; he swept his gaze along her neck to her face. He didn't focus on her pulse point at all but rather how smooth it was and how much he didn't want to blemish it in any way.

He reached forward to touch her but stopped, "I'm sorry." He told her sincerely, he knew she was waiting for an apology but he didn't know how she'd react once she got it. He had been in the wrong, she was right he was always hurting her but she didn't understand that he had to act that way because he had to appear strong. If any weakness was shown they'd use her against him.

"You don't mean that, you don't feel regret." Her voice was hoarse as she spoke, her throat burning from the silent sobs that had wracked her body. Vlad's head dropped down until his chin rested on his chest, he knew his careless words would always be his undoing with her. "I just don't know what to think about you, or feel about you." She sniffed as her nose began to run, "You like to play with my emotions, when I said I cared for you, I didn't lie… I just wasn't…"

"Saying it to me." He finished. Erin raised her gaze upwards, apology and tears welling in her eyes. "I get it." He fought to keep his voice even.

"I think I know you, but then you change like a switch has been turned on and I don't have a clue who'd in front of me." She tried to tell him, swiping at her eyes. When he changed she feared for her life. "You kissed me and I thought for a moment you were him but then I realised you were pretending nothing more."

His jaw dropped, "Is that what you really think?" Pretending didn't come into it, pretending was before when he thought she didn't know who he was although the question that came to the front of his mind was: how much had he actually been pretending?

Erin gave him a shrug, tears spilling now. "What else could it be, you said you don't feel anything. You want what he has, even having me just to upset him."

Vlad considered her words carefully, in the beginning that was the reason he'd wanted to bite her. Turn her into one of them to spite the Vlad that had had freedom for sixteen years but he'd also wanted to bite her because neither of them would have gotten close to her if they'd known from the beginning she was a breather. By the time they found out the damage had been done, they were in too deep. If he bit her he could justify being with her because they could spend eternity together – if not as a couple but as friends – as he'd thought before he'd found out the truth.

"I do want what he has but because I've never had anything like that." He admitted quietly. "I don't know how to do anything else. In the mirror you have to be tough to survive, to get the other reflections to leave you alone. I didn't have time for touchy feely things." His face resembled a disgusted look before he had chance to think his words through.

Erin's jaw set, he just couldn't help himself. He had to belittle her in some way, if he couldn't comment on her being a slayer he commented on her wording. "There you're doing it now! Being cruel!"

He'd enjoyed talking to her without having to think of a quick retort to remind her of who his was. With the other he enjoyed watching the hurt flicker across their faces, with Erin he hated it but he couldn't back down once he'd started.

Maybe it was time to be who he wanted to be towards her without hiding anymore. "If I start being me, the real me," He began slowly but he should have reconsidered how he was going to start the conversation off.

Hope glittered in her eyes. "You mean Vlad…"

He shook his head, bile rising in his throat as he saw the disappointment on her face. "I mean the me that held you last night and didn't once think about biting you, the me that cleaned you up and the me that doesn't want to hurt you before you hurt me." She still didn't look up, he felt a fool for asking this but he'd started so he might as well continue. "I won't be different with other people but I will be with you because I don't want to be like that with you. I care about you Erin, that's not a lie. If I promise not to hide how I feel about you anymore,"

Vlad tried to stop his eyes from shining as he took a break in his small speech. He wanted her to know that the evil vampire part of him wasn't the only side to him but she couldn't trust his words because he hadn't given her any reason to.

"If I become 'me'." He took her hand in his; he knew he was asking a lot. She didn't know whether he was telling the truth or not, he hadn't shown her this side to him for long. His eyes closed; hope building but also being crushed at the same time as he spoke his question, "Will you give me a chance?"

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_How would people feel if I increased the number of chapters?_

_Thanks for reading._


	11. Confide

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I've felt out of sorts today so sorry if these chapters aren't up to my usual standard._

_The 'T' rating will kick in in a few chapters._

Chapter 11: Confide

Ingrid paced back and forth in her room, she honestly was confused.

She couldn't tell the Count what she'd done; he'd stake her before she even finished speaking. He'd be furious at her trying to take Vlad's power for herself.

Ryan would mess everything up, he was too eager to please her and that had already started to get on her nerves. She liked the adoration but she hated the way he clung to her like a shadow unless she ordered him away.

Bertrand wouldn't hesitate in manipulating the situation to his advantage; he would betray her if he knew she was close to being found out or if it served him better. Bertrand knew the history of the clans and he had experience in fighting them. He knew Vampire Law off by heart often quizzing Vlad on it during training.

Those were her choices and she needed to make a decision.

There was only one person who could help her, only one person who had any skills or knowledge that she might need.

She'd hate having to ask this.

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She neared the door to hear a heated argument between Bertrand and the Count. She tilted her ear towards it, she had never learned how to use her sensitive hearing but then again she'd never had the benefit of actually being taught how to use her powers unlike Vlad.

"You're still in charge of his training until his eighteenth birthday, after that I want you to leave and never set foot in this school again." Clearly the Count cared more about Vlad becoming Grand High Vampire than the fact that Bertrand had betrayed them.

"Isn't that up to Vlad?" Bertrand countered, using Vlad's absence to buy himself more time. He knew the Count was trying to take some of Vlad's power for himself, he was used to being Regent and it was clearly something he wasn't willing to let go of just yet.

"Vlad doesn't always know what's best for him." Ingrid snorted at that, most of the time Vlad knew what was best for them not the other way around. "This whole peace with slayers thing…"

"He seems to think it'll work." Bertrand's tone had a little something else in it. Ingrid couldn't put her finger on it but it seemed to be mocking in some way.

Lightning crackled outside, a sure sign the Count was growing angry. "Slayers want to kill him, that's why they took him."

"We don't know that." Bertrand knew Vlad could escape their clutches unharmed.

The Count shook his head, "Slayers can never be trusted!"

"What about Erin?" Ingrid asked as she entered the room, the men turned towards her, scathing looks being sent in her direction for her disturbing their conversation.

"She betrayed him, she broke his heart." Those words sounded more disgusted that Vlad had a heart rather than anything else. "Vlad knows it can't go anywhere." The Count told Ingrid as a matter of fact.

Ingrid let out a laugh, "Has that stopped Vlad before?" Vlad like the impossible. He was already in too deep with Erin, she could see it and so could Bertrand but the Count couldn't. "Vlad and a slayer, he likes to really defy you doesn't he?" Ingrid taunted the Count.

The Count's face darkened, "She brought the slayers down on us!"

Ingrid had never been one to defend Erin but she knew she had to step in, "You don't know that. Erin's never told anyone where we live. They found out that themselves."

Bertrand looked at her curiously, "Why are you defending her?""

That was actually a good question, "She saved my life twice." And if she wanted it to happen again when it came to Vlad punishing her for what she'd done. Erin might be the only thing that stopped her from being reduced to ash.

Bertrand narrowed his eyes, he didn't think that was the whole story but he wasn't going to pressure her in front of the Count.

"I don't want her being a distraction for Vlad anymore." He directed his words towards Bertrand but the younger vampire wasn't going to fall for that again. He wasn't going to harm Erin and incur Vlad's wrath or have the Count make Vlad catch him in the act.

The Count seemed irritated that Bertrand didn't pick up on his words, he'd left the bait there for him but he wasn't going to bite. He was learning.

Ingrid looked at the Count, worry crossing her, "How are you going to do that? He'll never forgive you if you do anything to her."

He hadn't said he'd harm her but he didn't say he wouldn't either.

The Count didn't speak; he turned away from them and fixed his gaze on the fire.

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Ingrid grabbed Bertrand's arm tightly, her fingers digging into his forearm as she pulled him from the room.

Bertrand didn't hide the look of complete and utter anger at being man handled. He hated anyone touching him unless he was prepared to, he was trained as a fighter he could have easily turned her to ash before realising who she was if the other hadn't been in the room.

As soon as they were secluded in the corridor as Ingrid pulled the door closed behind them he yanked his arm free from her grasp, the force caused her to momentarily lose her balance and tip towards him. "What do you want?" He hissed at her his fangs ready to bite.

Ingrid looked to his side before looking at him; this was even harder than she'd thought it would be. Dracula's didn't ask for help – from anyone, for anything. "I can't believe I'm saying this." She muttered under her breath before realising he'd probably heard her.

He looked at her impatiently; he had better things to do with his time than wait for her to tell him something. He turned away from her. "I need your help."

Bertrand froze; never would he have expected to hear those words from her.

This would be interesting.

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Bertrand did something he had never done in all of his four hundred years – he turned his back on someone who could easily be his enemy as he tried to process what she'd just admitted to doing.

He couldn't believe she'd confided in him of all people, he really didn't want to know now. Didn't she have any idea of what Ramanga was capable of? Of course she didn't, she'd latched onto an opportunity without thinking the consequences through.

"You've done what?!" Bertrand shouted at her. She wished immediately that he wouldn't shout so loud.

Ingrid tried to defend herself, "I'm tired of Vlad being the important one, the one with all the power when he doesn't even want it…"

"He was born with it!" Bertrand shouted at her, he knew Vlad didn't want it but he believed Vlad had actually come to accept it. "Of course he'll have all the power! It's his birth right."

Ingrid let out a frustrated cry, "Everything is always about Vlad…"

"It's the way of our world Ingrid!" Bertrand told her sharply, shutting her up. "It isn't Vlad's fault, he gave you a second chance! I know some of his ideas are…" He swallowed sharply, his nose wrinkling in disgust, "Unusual." Talk about an understatement, "But you betrayed him deliberately."

Ingrid shook her head, talk about calling the kettle black. "So did you!"

Bertrand was ready for this, "That was different!"

"How?" He'd betrayed Vlad for power just like she had, he'd been pardoned just like her but at least he'd kept his head low.

"I knew what I was doing! You entered a deal without knowing anything about Ramanga. You realise he'll take the power from you if you get it."

"Please," His eyes widened she really was desperate if she was using 'please', "You know things about clans…"

Now he knew where he came in, he felt hurt but he didn't know why that she only wanted his help because of his knowledge and not because she genuinely trusted him. "Give me one reason I shouldn't tell Vlad what you've done?!" He asked, his eyebrows never lowering from their raised position.

Ingrid folded her arms over her chest, staring the older vampire down. "If you tell Vlad I will blame you."

It was all she had.

He knew she would and she would probably get away with it as the Count wouldn't side with him concerning where he'd been during the time Ramanga was here and he couldn't trust Erin after trying to kill her. "And have me take you down with me?" He reminded her

Ingrid cursed softly as she realised that Bertrand did have a point.

Ingrid's eyes were wide with her plea, she needed him. "I need your help, will you help?"

He knew the consequences if this backfired and he just couldn't risk them.

Bertrand shook his head, "This is your mess. I'm not helping you sort it out."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	12. Answer

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Are there any more thoughts on Bertrand/Ingrid?_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 12: Answer

"Will you give me a chance?"

Those words rang in Erin's ears over and over again.

Could she trust him enough in his words? That was the question.

He'd pretended with her before in the hope she wouldn't know who he was, but that would change now wouldn't it now she'd told him she knew?

Erin swept her gaze over him, her own eyes glistening. She wasn't sure how she felt about this Vlad, she liked him when he was more natural with her without a façade and he was promising to drop that around her but could she stand it when they were in public when they found out who he was, could she stand being insulted by him? That she didn't know. A thrill raced through her at the thought of seeing a side of Vlad that no one else would see.

His eyes were unguarded, she could see he was laying out his soul to her but she couldn't be certain about anything until she had more answers.

"Vlad?" She asked quietly, his eyes were filled with hope as he looked at her. "Did you mean what you said about holding me and not wanting to bite me?" She wanted to know he wasn't just saying things he thought she wanted to hear.

"I meant every word of what I said." He told her slowly and deliberately. Vlad moved his hand to her jaw; he stroked the soft skin there with the back of his index and forefingers. "I don't want to bite you."

"You came close." She reminded him, she'd felt his fangs at her neck. He'd even bitten her lightly with his normal teeth to see what she'd do.

To her surprise he shuddered at the memory, she tipped her head to look at him curiously. She'd never seen him react that way before.

"I didn't though and I won't bite you. I promise. I care about you too much to force you to become one of us." He dropped his gaze down, "I like insulting Ingrid, I like getting my own way. I haven't had it before and I just want to give them what they gave me for seventeen years but with you," He paused, "I don't want to do that, I just want to be with you. I might slip, I might say the odd cruel thing but I want you to know that I don't mean it, I want you to give me a chance to prove that I don't mean any of it."

Tears began to slip down her cheeks, "I care about Vlad, I don't even know you." She couldn't forget him.

"You've seen me; how I act around you I'm not pretending. I do that because I feel free around you. That's the real me." He wanted her to understand that around her he didn't want to be evil, he never considered it properly.

Erin looked downwards. "Maybe you can find a way to share?" She suggested lightly, his expression darkened. "Never mind." She whispered looking away. "Vlad I can't forget about him."

Vlad closed his eyes; he hoped this wouldn't be a ruse to get her Vlad back. He felt his heart plummet downwards. He turned his head away from her.

"He's part of me, which means he is me. You don't even know how he really acts around you because I took control." It was true Erin didn't know how her Vlad would act around her, they'd only been seeing each other for just over a week when his reflection had taken control, so it was new and a bit awkward.

Erin shook her head, it didn't matter because he was forgetting something. "You're different people. You're evil and he isn't."

Then he made his mind up, "We're not that different, we feel the same about you that won't change. We want the same things for you, that's what's important how I can towards you not to other people. You'll see 'me'. Let me prove it to you."

"How…"

Then he cut her off.

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Erin let out a squeak as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. Her legs wrapped around his waist instinctively as she tipped back, trying to find something to stop her falling. She gripped his shoulders for leverage as well.

His confidence startled her, but she could see some hesitation in his eyes. Erin's breath caught in her throat as he leaned closer to her but she didn't pull away – she couldn't force herself to pull away.

He gently brushed his lips against hers and he felt her stiffen in his arms. He didn't pull away this time; Erin didn't pull away either that made him bolder. He gently nipped her bottom lip causing her to open her mouth a fraction. She knew what he was doing and opened it wider for him, not resisting him in the least.

He smiled against her lips and Vlad tilted his head so he could kiss her easier. He hesitantly brushed his tongue against hers before they began to battle, the kiss increasing in passion.

After a few moments their frenzied kiss slowed to a pace that was more about showing each other how they felt.

Vlad enjoyed the sensation of her warm lips on his cold ones; it affirmed that she was still alive and safe in front of him. Her lips were softer than he remembered and they moved perfectly against his own.

Erin shifted her weight slightly so her hands move from his shoulders to toy with the silky strands of think raven hair. He massaged her back in time to his kiss. Erin arched into him, her fingers tightening in his hair enjoying the tingling that ran up her spine at the sensations of his hands on her.

Vlad pulled back remembering that Erin had to breathe.

Erin's chest heaved as she fought to breathe. She'd turned a delicate shade of pink and her lips were all swollen.

He rested his forehead against hers; Erin licked her lips still tasting him on them.

"That's the real me, I wasn't pretending there." He shrugged, he'd never pretend with her again. He didn't even know how much of his previous act had actually been acting. As he spent more time with her he was convinced more and more that he hadn't been acting. "I won't hurt you again." He promised her, he'd never hurt her intentionally. "Will you give me a chance?"

Erin looked at him; he hadn't pushed her to do anything she didn't want. He'd been gentle and caring in his kiss. He kissed just like her Vlad, although they'd only kissed a couple of times before he faced his reflection. The kiss had stirred something in her. She couldn't help but feel guilt as she knew she was beginning to feel something for him however she felt like she was betraying her Vlad.

If he was as different as he claimed to be he shouldn't have kissed the same, the fact he had gave her hope that her Vlad was closer to the surface than he cared to admit.

It made her wonder how much of her Vlad influenced the one in front of her. He'd said they shared memories but he'd had his own free will, yet he'd still chosen her.

That made her heart warm and swell.

He'd shown her a side of him that was vulnerable something that wasn't easy for someone as evil as him and that made her mind up for her.

Erin pulled back; he closed his eyes dreading her answer at the sudden loss of contact. She lifted her hand to his cheek and trailed a finger down it tenderly forcing him to open his eyes.

She gave her answer. "Yeah."

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Vlad's reaction wasn't exactly what she'd expected but it was at the same time as confusing as that sounded. "What?" He looked like a deer caught in headlights.

Erin chuckled and stroked his cheek, leaning into him slightly wanting to be closer to him.

"I said," She paused making him squirm a fraction on the floor, "Yes I'll give you a chance."

A beautiful smile covered his face, his white teeth sparkled and she couldn't help but join him in smiling. She felt guilty because there was something about this Vlad that she liked, she could see something in his eyes that she'd seen in the Vlad's she knew.

"Thank you." He whispered, bringing her forehead back against his and he laughed. He felt happier than he had done in a long time. "It won't be easy." He warned her, it would be harder because he would be forced to act differently depending who was in the room.

"I know." She stroked his jaw lightly, a smile crossing her face. "I know you'll still slip and insult me." She knew that without a doubt, he'd said it as well so she was relieved that he knew it would happen.

"Erin…" He wanted to apologise in advance for when it happened.

"It's okay; you're evil Vlad sometimes you'll want to get angry at me." She shrugged lightly. She knew she'd get angry with him. "I sometimes can see you but you always cover up, at first I'm not always going to be sure whether you're pretending or not so you need to be patient with me." He nodded, he could be patient, Erin gave him a sceptical look and he looked away. He'd try his best. "And I can't turn my feelings off for him just like that so I don't want you losing your temper over that." She told him seriously.

Vlad felt a pang in his chest as she said the words, he nodded though. He was willing to wait until she felt the same about him as she felt for his other side. "One step at a time?" He suggested.

"One step at a time." She confirmed, smiling softly at him.

He looked upwards seeing the dusk beginning to set in. He felt strong enough to fly, he didn't want to encounter another mutt and chance her getting injured once again. "First step is home."

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Vlad looked down at Erin the moment he felt solid ground under his feet. Erin had her eyes screwed tightly shut, she hated his flying. She hadn't even realised they'd landed yet.

Vlad lightly kissed Erin's cheek, she flamed red and looked down making him chuckle. Erin had never blushed like that for him before, he thought it was beautiful.

"Hey." She muttered trying to stop herself from stammering as she opened her eyes and glancing around at the familiar scenery of Garside Grange.

"If my family are supposed to believe that nothing's changed you can't blush like that." He teased, she'd never blushed like that before and they might notice. Bertrand would notice if no one else did.

Erin let out an irritated huff of air. "I can't help it. I'm a breather Vlad, I blush." If he was going to surprise her with affection like that again then she was certainly going to keep blushing.

"Slayer." He answered irritation still creeping into his tone as he said the word. Erin looked at him fiercely and he knew she'd interpreted it wrong. "I didn't mean it like that." He tried to cover, "My kind will always see you as a slayer."

"Has it ever been done? A vampire and a slayer?" He opened his mouth to correct her automatically before realising she'd said it correctly.

He shook his head, "No. There have been a few vampires and breathers which led to half fangs being created before they were slain by those that created them."

That was a little daunting for her, "Why?"

"Because they were too loyal, you know the consequences of a bite." He was referring to Ryan; she could read that between the lines.

They'd let their guard slip in those few minutes.

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Erin was suddenly ripped from Vlad and forced to her knees. A jolt flew through them as the damp cobbled began to seep through her tights.

At the same time Vlad was yanked backwards a few feet with his arms secured behind his back.

Erin's head was held in an angle that would only require the slightest of pressure to snap her neck.

A typical execution posture.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	13. Rather Know

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Thank you to everyone who took a look at my videos._

_I've never made any ever before, it's a lot harder than it looks and I have a lot of appreciation for those who make them regularly._

_I hope you enjoyed them._

Chapter 13: Rather Know

Vlad let out a growl at those who'd dared to take Erin from him, his protective instincts kicking in.

Vlad's first instinct was to rip them from Erin but he had to maintain the façade of the other Vlad. He knew Erin's neck would be broken if he gave the slightest indication that he was prepared to act first. They were betting on that.

Erin glanced around with the limited movement she had, she knew this posture well enough. The warm fingers on her neck could probably feel that her heart was racing. She tried to take a breath to calm herself but she found herself panicking instead.

This was the posture when vampires wanted to kill their breather slaves, when they'd displeased them in some way and they didn't want to dirty their fangs on them. It was more painless but also had the advantage of no half fangs being accidentally created. Displeasure tainted the taste of blood; they couldn't enjoy it as much.

The Count stood behind Vlad, she didn't believe he'd give her the order to actually kill her; he was trying to force Vlad's hand – get Vlad to have priorities. If he controlled what happened to her, he controlled his son just like the Carpathian Feast and his training.

Vlad watched as Renfield held Erin's neck in his grip; he wasn't the one who'd decided to do this. The creator was the one holding his arms behind his back; he felt the familiar sensation of fang cuffs sliding onto his wrists. He smirked at the irony that he'd had them on him twice in forty eight hours.

Vlad spoke first, "Let her go."

"No."

"Fine." Vlad flicked his finger; the slight movement caused Renfield to fly backwards and away from Erin. He twisted around in the Count's grip, tearing away from him and shooting backwards towards Erin.

Bertrand sped into the courtyard in time to see the commotion, Ingrid following him a moment later coming to rest at his side. Bertrand looked down before moving away from Ingrid in disgust, she noticed but didn't say anything she simply looked down.

Ingrid watched quietly from the side lines as the other two men hit the wall, forcing the panelling to cave underneath them.

Erin looked at his bound hands and shot a look to Ingrid; Ingrid snatched the key from her father and threw it to Erin. Erin caught it and released Vlad's hands; he couldn't concentrate on picking the locks this time.

Vlad didn't take his eyes off them but held his hand out from Erin, she took it and he pulled her to his side and pushed her forcefully behind him in a protective stance. Their hands remained linked. He brushed his mind against hers, this hadn't worked last time but he relaxed as he felt her. She was slightly shaken but he could feel her. The fact he couldn't last time was probably because he subconsciously didn't want to invade her mind like he could with other vampires.

Renfield struggled to his feet looking winded towards his young master, Vlad stared his father down. "What for the love of garlic was that?" Lightning flashed illuminating the entire courtyard. Vlad looked to Bertrand and Ingrid waiting for them to answer him but neither of them wanted to, clearly they didn't want to drop themselves in it. Either that or they genuinely didn't have any involvement in this. He couldn't trust them and he knew his other half wouldn't either.

The Count jutted a finger in Erin's direction, "You were taken by slayers, she's a slayer, she was obviously involved."

"Erin had nothing to do with this!" Vlad shouted angrily at his father.

The Count gestured towards Erin, "We never had slayers until she arrived…"

"I was never accepted either until she arrived!" Vlad shouted back just as angrily, "Erin doesn't expect anything from me, you do, Bertrand does, Ingrid does and Robin did. Erin sees me for what I am and knows I can't and won't change for anyone." He stepped closer, his eyes turning pitch black. "You lay a fang on her and I will personally chain you to the archway and watch you burn in the sunlight."

"Vlad…" Erin spoke quietly, he'd just come dangerously close to crossing a line he couldn't afford to cross. He shook his head though, he wasn't going to apologise, he wanted them to understand the consequences of what they were doing.

The Count spoke looking at him, "She's killed one of our kind before, she won't hesitate to kill you."

Erin shook her head, her eyes never leaving Vlad's. He didn't need to look at her to know the truth but he wanted to watch her.

"I trust Erin."

"You didn't trust her when you kicked her out!" He protested, Erin looked down, she had lied to Vlad far too often and that was the consequence of her actions. "She needs to go, then we'll all be safe."

"Until you actually have some proof of what you're saying," Vlad spoke a clear warning, he knew no proof could be produced, "And real proof not a stake conveniently placed at the scene of the crime." The Count looked down as he realised that his son could tell exactly what he was thinking. "Erin is my girlfriend and I will do whatever it takes to protect her from you."

Without waiting for any further response he shot out a fireball at the cuffs and they turned to little more than melted argentalium. He wanted to ensure he couldn't be cuffed by the Count again. As soon as he was satisfied with the results he placed his hand on Erin's back and guided her inside.

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They couldn't get to their rooms any quicker in Vlad's opinion, he wanted her away from his family after the stunt his father had just pulled.

"You okay?" Vlad asked as he bundled Erin into her room, she hated being pushed and this was a side of him she'd have to get used to. She'd seen it in her Vlad too but this one used it more to get her out of harm's way.

Erin wrapped her arms around herself and nodded her answer. Vlad leaned against her door. He glanced at her, as she began to pace back and forth. He let her knowing that this was her way of letting off steam when she was mad about something. "I don't know why I'm staying here," She muttered under her breath.

"I want you here." He reminded her, she looked at him.

"I was staying to bring him back." She told him as a matter of fact, something she hadn't completely forgotten.

"I know." He stepped closer to her, "You're scared of what will happen when I take control of my world." He brushed her cheek lightly with the back of his hand. "You're going to have a plan just in case." He knew her too well. She looked at him her eyes full of apology, she was betraying him and he knew about it in advance. He hoped she only did it if she had no other choice. "You're giving me a chance, that's what matters to me. I know you won't slay me if I lose complete control."

"I'm sorry…" She apologised, she couldn't afford to have him drain every loving creature when he took power but she hoped it wouldn't come to that. She hoped she would find that underneath the bitterness he was just like her Vlad. She could already see some of the Vlad she knew in him.

She knew there was something else under there but she didn't know what yet.

Vlad grasped her arms lightly, "We'll deal with that later." He tilted her chin up to look at him. "You need to tell me what happened with the vampire that you killed. They'll keep bringing it up and I won't always be able to protect you if I don't know what happened." His eyes were sharp as he told her that he wanted answers.

"Will you hear me out completely?"

"I promise."

Erin closed her eyes, reliving this would be painful but no more painful than when she relived it constantly in her sleep. "Come with me."

Erin took his hand and pulled him from her room, along the corridor ten feet then opened the door to his room. Vlad followed her in silently.

The easiest way for her to do this was to run through what had happened with him step by step. She wanted to make sure nothing could be misinterpreted.

She let go of his hand, "It was when Bertrand found out what I was." Vlad stiffened, trying to ignore the memory of everything that had happened then. "I came in here when I saw Bertrand in my room. I thought this would be the one place where Bertrand wouldn't try to look for me as he knew it was your room. I was just going to wait in here until he left. I never thought he'd find out about the equipment. I wanted to tell you myself. I promise that." She glanced to his closet, she gestured with her head towards it. "Then she ran out from there carrying a UV bomb."

Vlad was immediately concerned, "Did she hurt you?"

"She thought I was one of them, a bit strange considering Ingrid turned her netball team. She should have known who were on her team." She brought herself back to her explanation. "She told me what Ingrid was up to. I tried to get her out of here," Erin hated the thought of another woman in her boyfriend's room that wasn't her or his sister. She didn't care that he would consider her jealous, it was the truth. "She wanted to try your coffin out because she'd need one, I tried to stop her but the only way I could get her out of here was if I let her try."

Vlad winced, he remembered the pile of ash in his coffin. He'd scrubbed it clean after finding that. "So she got in?"

Erin nodded, her eyes glazing, "And she wanted me to close the lid, so I did but not fully." She took a deep breath, she could see it all in her mind, "She wanted it closed all the way, I tried to push it closed but it wouldn't move so I sat on it and bounced on it a little. I didn't know that it was because she was holding the grenade it wouldn't close. I bounced too hard and the coffin smashed the grenade, it turned her to dust." She chanced a look at Vlad, waiting for his reaction. "I never meant to kill her."

"It was an accident." He muttered, understanding everything fully for the first time. He pulled her close into a tight hug, thankful that he now knew the complete truth. Erin clutched at his jumper, gripping it with all her might.

Tears began to seep through his jumper, "I'm so sorry. I never meant to kill the vampire."

He kissed her temple softly, rocking her from side to side. "It's okay." He told her, "I'd rather know. I thought you'd killed her in so many different ways. Now I know and it's easier." He pulled back, "It wasn't your fault." He meant that, he'd never meant it so much as he did then now he knew the whole truth. "Ingrid gave her the grenade if anyone killed her she did."

They pulled apart and Vlad gently wiped her tears away with the pad of his thumb. "She was the first girl in your coffin." Erin teased, trying not to sound as if she was hurt by that thought as silly as it sounded.

"Actually you're the first girl to be in my coffin." He told her as a matter of fact, taking care not to look her in the eye.

Erin's eyes widened before she shook her head, "I've never been in your coffin…"

"Your original one, it was the one I used first." It had long since been burned.

Erin didn't understand, "I thought you had the metal one as a present for your sixteenth…" Vlad had never mentioned having another coffin, he didn't seem the type to change them either.

"It came three days late, I needed something to sleep in until it arrived. Then I gave the coffin I slept in to you." He shrugged, "That makes you the first girl in my coffin." He chanced a look at her, "And the only girl I want in there."

Erin flushed as bright as a beetroot, Vlad didn't notice as he looked down. For all his confidence he couldn't talk to her about this easily, he spoke without thinking and for the first time he felt embarrassed about it slipping out.

To his surprise Erin kissed his neck lightly. He looked at her in shock, he never thought she'd do that. It was a sign of vampire affection, Erin seemed to understand what it meant though.

"Thank you." She spoke, thanking him for everything, saving her, listening to her, explaining the coffins and for his honesty. She gestured with her head towards her room, "I'd better get some sleep before your father catches me in here."

"Yeah." He walked with her towards his door, she needed more sleep than he did. He bent down and kissed her softly even if it was slightly awkward following his confession.

She smiled up at him warmly before exiting through the door he held open for her.

Vlad followed her with his eyes, wanting to make sure she reached her room safely ignoring the fact it was only a few yards away from his. "Erin?" He called and she turned to face him a questioning look on her face. "Thank you for telling me what happened. It wasn't you fault, I'm sorry for saying it was."

"You didn't know." She shrugged, "I'd have thought the same thing." She gestured to her room again, "Night."

He smiled warmly at her. "Night."

Erin entered her room, smiling at him as she turned around and slowly closed her door.

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Vlad strode into his father's room, slamming the door shut and clicking open the coffin. The lid flew back on its hinges before tearing off them and landing on the floor with a bang.

The Count didn't move, he didn't even open his eyes. His arms were still crossed over his chest as he spoke. "You're fixing that Vladimir."

Vlad clenched his jaw and rolled his tongue in his mouth. "I want a word."

The Count had his wounded pride to lick so he really wasn't in the mood for Vlad. "Not now Vladimir."

"Now Dad." Vlad spoke slowly, his fangs sliding down. The site was intimidating to say the least. "You tried to kill her."

"I wouldn't have killed her. I just wanted her gone." He told his son as a matter of fact, he wouldn't have done it directly if he was serious enough to carry it through. He didn't want Vlad to hate him.

"She saved your unlife!"

The Count's eyes snapped open as he bolted upright in his coffin. "She's a slayer Vlad."

"She's my girlfriend."

The Count couldn't believe, "She's still a filthy, manipulative slayer. She'd driven a wedge between us, you spend all your time with her…"

"Because of how I feel about her."

The Count fixed his son with a look of pure disgust. "You know that when you turn eighteen all this breather slayer girlfriend nonsense has to stop."

Vlad shook his head, "I'll make that decision not you."

The Count wanted to remind his son of one thing. "Until you come of age…"

"I'm still the more powerful one." Vlad told him, not caring that the façade was slipping. He would react whether he had power or not.

"I can take you away from her, make sure you never see her again," He paused for a moment to let his threat sink in, it usually worked on his son but Vlad didn't seem to be having any of it. His son really had grown a back bone while he was away.

"You're going to listen." Vlad snapped at him, "Erin is under my protection, you might be Regent but after my eighteenth I'll be the one in charge. If anything happens to her I won't hesitate in having you punished, the Regency won't protect you." His dad's jaw dropped at the threat from his son, Vlad was assuming the role he would take over in barely three months, ever since Vlad had returned he was a leader. "You made a mistake threatening her; I never want to see you do that again."

The Count shook his head in disappointment, Vlad knew that look well and it angered him to see it once again. "Your evil side wouldn't let her live…"

There he was assuming he knew Vlad and what was best for him.

"You know nothing about that side of me." Vlad spat at him, "If you did you would already know the answer to that." Bitterness creeping in, his father really didn't know either side of him.

It was so painfully easy to fool him.

The Count looked at his son with wide eyes, "Vlad…"

Vlad looked at him, his eyes black with uncontrolled fury. "I meant what I said, you hurt her in any way and I will kill you."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	14. Leering

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I've been asked to turn this into a two part series again (not a saga because I'm through with being cursed) rather than extended chapters…_

_Which would you prefer: a two part thing or extra chapters?_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 14: Leering

Erin opened her locker, stuffing her sports kit inside it. It wasn't fair that Vlad had a reason to get out of outdoor sport thanks to his 'allergies'; she didn't have an excuse to get out of them anymore. Miss McCauley had given her an ultimatum eventually – either she does PE or she'd have detention every day of her PE lessons for the rest of the year. She'd conceded, she liked the winter months when PE was inside then she and Vlad could have PE together.

She'd packed her bag in a hurry, not bothering to fold any of her clothes. She'd jumped into the shower and dressed as quickly as she could not wanting to hang around with Becky who was desperate to quiz her on her love life at the moment, she hadn't even bothered to towel dry her hair properly.

Erin was already quizzing herself enough on that subject without anyone's help. She wanted her Vlad back but there was something about this Vlad that drew her in

Erin jumped as she felt arms circle her waist, a feather light kiss being placed on her neck. She twisted around seeing the way the corridor was still empty, sighing in relief.

"You can take that upstairs you know." She felt the words being breathed against her neck and she closed her eyes, trying and failing to ignore the sensation.

"I'm not going on my own." She reminded him quietly, she didn't want to risk her neck (literally) again, "I didn't know where you were anyway."

"I didn't get lunch," He told her softly, she froze and he had an inkling exactly what she thought. He'd eaten with her after all. "My soy blood was switched with tomato juice." He had an idea who'd done it. "I only had soy substitute nothing stronger." He felt her relax and he smiled.

"You didn't say anything." She told him as she pulled out the equipment she needed for art.

"I didn't want to make you panic thinking I was going on a rampage."

She was spun sharply and pressed back against the locker with one hand while the other closed her locker door to press her back against it. Vlad smirked as he stepped into her space, she tilted her head to look up at him before he swiftly captured her lips with his. Erin felt herself melting in his embrace. She placed her hands on his chest, brushing her fingers along his chest.

The bell chose that moment to interrupt them and Vlad pulled back with a groan of disappointment. He looked down, Erin's eyes were still closed before she seemed to snap out of it and twisted around, opening her locker once more.

She felt him gently rest his chin on her shoulder as she rummaged through her locker. "You've never done that before."

He looked dejected, "You don't like it?"

Erin wouldn't say she didn't like it – she did, more than she wanted to admit – but she was more concerned about his sudden boldness in their relationship. "It's just different." She closed her locker turning around in his arms, "My Vlad isn't so bold, you can't act like this in public around me." She reminded him, "Ingrid is a student here as well, she'll see and you know what'll happen."

"Always knew she wasn't bright enough to graduate."

"Vlad!" She snapped at him, she knew he'd slip. That's why he couldn't act like this until they were in private. He looked down taking a therapeutic unnecessary breath of air. "If you don't want them to find out which one you are then remember how you're supposed to act around me in public, you can't be bolder than he would be. They'll notice something."

"They won't notice anything."

"That had better be true. You have to be nice." His mouth crinkled at that thought, he hated pretending to be the other Vlad. He liked being nice to Erin in public but when they were in private he was more natural with her saying things and doing things he couldn't around his family.

Erin cupped his jaw, "I know it's hard, pretending to be someone you're not and still not being able to be yourself around me but it's for the best."

He nodded, "I know." He pressed a quick kiss to her lips, "Thank you,"

"What for?"

"Giving me a chance and not freaking out every time I do something wrong."

Erin cupped his neck and brought his forehead to kiss hers. "Thank you for giving me one too."

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The line outside art was… chaotic. Clusters of students talking ready to enter the room. Vlad leaned back against the wall his hands in his pockets, he looked positively bored. Erin had her hands folded over her chest, she felt almost the same. Usually they'd enter the room but it was locked.

Eventually the door opened and Vlad grabbed Erin's hand, practically dragging her into the room. Erin knew what he was doing, he didn't want to be forced to sit next to any of them. She covered a smile with her hand, he could be so vain straightening his tie and clothes but he hated all the girls lusting after him. He only wanted her and that only endeared him more to this him.

Vlad blocked himself against the wall and Erin knew he hated being blocked in but he didn't have a choice. She sat down on the next single seater table beside him. He reached across and hesitantly linked their fingers, he was already adapting to the Vlad he had to be around her in public although with the girls in the room all shooting her daggers she knew it wouldn't last.

Erin let out a small cry as their joined hands were forcefully parted as Becky deliberately walked between them, perching herself on the desk at an angle that exposed her long legs to him. She flicked her hair back behind her ear in a flirtatious way.

Becky licked her lips slowly and deliberately expecting Vlad to lower his gaze to them but he kept his eyes steady. Usually that tactic worked, the fact he'd rejected it made him even more of a prize to win.

Never before had a boy proved a challenge for her and Becky was determined not to let him escape. There was something dangerous about him, even more so recently, which lured them all to him. He was usually so mild mannered and caring which made him easily the ideal boyfriend. He'd mainly kept himself to himself until Erin had come along, they'd become inseparable and that made him forbidden, but they all knew the saying about forbidden fruit.

She could see irritation in Erin's eyes but she couldn't read Vlad's, which gave him the attractive aura of mysteriousness.

"Hey Vlad, you weren't in art the other afternoon," She pointed out; glancing towards Erin she decided to try and make it sound like she was just talking about Vlad. "Neither of you were here yesterday, we missed you."

"Whatever." Erin muttered under her breath, Vlad raised an eyebrow at her, he understood where she was coming from – she was jealous. Erin knew exactly who'd they'd really missed.

Vlad stood and stepped behind Erin, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders. He was mindful of the bruises and winced internally at the thought of having caused her the pain in the first place. Erin leaned back into him, everyone's eyes seemed to be on them. She brought her left hand upwards and laced their fingers, squeezing them lightly.

Becky noticed, staring at them, "You made up then?" She gulped, disappointment in her tone. She looked between them, they didn't seem in danger of breaking up. "I thought it was over between you… You said he was all mine…"

"I don't think Erin meant it that way." He covered for her, she'd matched his move a few days before. "Like I said before Becky why would I be interested in you?" His lips curved upwards into a small half smile.

Erin's eyes snapped to Vlad, she didn't know he'd said that before, she was curious as to when he'd said it. She knew he'd let himself relax as he knew Ingrid wasn't in this class but she hoped that he hadn't forgotten about the rumour mill.

Becky seemed shocked at the third rejection from Vlad, everyone's eyes seemed to be drawn to them. Her mouth opened and closed, "There are plenty more boys in this school."

Erin couldn't help herself and Vlad was startled by her boldness. "Then why are you always after mine?"

"He could do better, anyone could. If Vlad doesn't want me there are plenty more boys who do." She bragged,

Vlad laughed, Erin and Becky looked at him in complete confusion, they didn't understand what he thought was so funny. Seeing their confused faces he knew he had to tell Erin but he couldn't help but taunt Becky. "They look at Erin not you." Vlad told Becky as a matter of fact.

"What?" Erin did a double take, mulling his words over in her head, she had no idea where he'd gotten that from.

"What?!" Becky looked at Vlad in complete outrage, she never expected him to say that. She looked at Erin, "She's not even pretty, she doesn't wear make-up…" Vlad's face darkened, and Becky noticed, she shut up quickly.

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A nudge came from her side, drawing her attention away from the staring match between Becky and Vlad. Erin turned to face Carl sitting next to her, "Are you going to let him get away with saying that to her?"

Carl was tall and athletic, he was paired with her when Vlad wasn't around so they were friends, they had to be. He had cropped chocolate brown hair that was styled similar to Vlad's, Vlad had become a trend setter in the school as the boys wanted to copy him thinking it would get them the girls.

"He's just had enough." She assured Carl, "He's not normally like this." Becky had pushed Vlad to his limits and Erin was proud of him for succeeding so far in ignoring her the best he could.

"How do you feel about the attention he's getting?" Carl asked softly, "You're his girlfriend after all, aren't you worried that he might accept it?"

Erin gave a shrug, her throat tightening as she spoke, "Vlad chose me. I don't know why but if he ever wants someone else I'll let him. It'll hurt but I'll let him."

"You know there are plenty of others that wouldn't hesitate in asking you out…" He half hinted.

Erin gave him a smile, not a warm one but a polite one. "I'm happy with Vlad, I care about him and that won't change." Carl nodded slowly seeing that he was defeated; he slumped back down in his seat.

She glanced back up at Vlad, noticing his gaze had shifted from Becky's face to her neck. His eyes were focussed solely on her pulse point. He was reacting to his irritation and his first instinct was to bite people who annoyed him. Erin watched as his top lip began to protrude a sure sign his fangs had been lowered.

She sharply stood and grabbed Vlad's hand, dragging him to the back of the room before he could actually bite Becky.

"Erin!" He cried, annoyed that she'd interrupted his dinner plans.

Erin lowered her voice so the others couldn't hear. "You can't bite someone in the middle of art." He pouted slightly but realised she was right – too many witnesses.

He opened his mouth after forcing his teeth back so she could see he wasn't hiding them. His stomach growled, the thought of an impromptu snack had made his forgotten appetite flare.

He saw the anger on her face, "Please don't tell me you were jealous." He didn't want her to be, she knew he wouldn't choose anyone else, at least he hoped she did.

Erin folded her arms over her chest. "I have a right to be when they all look at you like that."

"Like what?" He asked.

He really didn't know how they looked at him? "Like you're a piece of meat."

Vlad knew they thought he was attractive, his other side knew that as well but he'd never actually noticed their expressions.

Vlad's face tightened, he might not have noticed the expression the girls wore when they looked at him but he noticed the ones the boys wore when they looked at her. "Have you seen how the boys look at you?" He questioned her softly. He looked at Carl deliberately through the open door.

Erin turned following his glowering gaze that had Carl gulping. "Vlad…"

Vlad wanted her to understand, she wasn't the only one who felt that way. "When you looked at me by the lockers when I asked Becky to be lunch, didn't you see them all leering at you?"

Erin looked at him as if was going mad. "Vlad they don't want me I was walking with Becky. She's the pretty one, the one they all want."

"You're right," Vlad began, "You're not pretty," He watched her eyes screw up, he knew his tone was a fraction to harsh but he wasn't finished, he ignored the gasps that echoed around the room to do so, "You're beautiful." Her eyes widened at his words, "They want you Erin, not her. I hate watching it so I took it out on you, wanted you to get a taste of your own medicine."

Erin was surprised at his honesty, "You were jealous, of them? Which part of you my Vlad or you?" His eyes narrowed, he chose not to answer her, he wasn't going to admit it bluntly. Erin reached up and kissed his cheek quickly.

Her cheeks flared as mumbling started the moment she did, Vlad smiled widely at her. He took her hand in his and made a move to guide her back to her seat.

Just as they settled themselves back into their seats, the squeaking of the chair legs along the floor becoming too loud for their ears as everyone glowered at them in complete silence.

Erin jumped as someone spoke, "Master Vlad, you have a present." Vlad looked up at Renfield expectantly, waiting for him to hand it over.

When nothing was handed to him he asked, "Who is it from?"

Renfield opened his mouth to speak, "I think it's better if you see for yourself Master Vlad."

"It's in your father's office at the moment." It took Erin a moment or two to work out where Renfield actually meant, then it clicked Vlad's father had that small office where he was supposed to conduct official school business.

Vlad took Erin's hand and pulled her from the art class, ignoring the calls from the others. He wasn't leaving her on her own in there to be tormented by the girls or leered at by the boys.

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Erin looked up at the door in front of her, she'd only been in here that once when the Van Helsings had arrived. She wanted to give Vlad privacy while he opened his present.

"I can wait here…"

"You can come in, I'm not hiding anything from you." He promised her lightly and she nodded.

He pushed open the door softly so it didn't bang against the wall, it screamed out for its hinges to be oiled. He was surprised that his father wasn't in here trying to look at the present.

He froze as he stared at his present. Erin blinked looking at it as well. He turned towards Renfield who shrugged his shoulders, he didn't understand it either not that Vlad had expected him to.

It was certainly something he'd never considered that could be given as a present.

And he certainly didn't want to accept it.

Although he didn't know that this present wasn't really for him…

It was for Ingrid.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	15. Present'

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Sorry, people had problems accessing the last couple of chapters some could and some couldn't. I've reposted them and they seem to be working now._

_The T rating starts to come in in the next chapter…_

Chapter 15: 'Present'

"This is your present?" Erin asked him calmly, the 'present' was intimidating.

Vlad looked at her completely speechless, this was the first time she'd seen this side of him so speechless.

The 'present' bowed to him, dropping to its knees and Vlad stood taller, assuming a regal pose naturally. Erin remained behind him not wanting to draw the attention of his present.

Although how two fully grown vampires could be a present was baffling.

They were both dark skinned, they wore a long leather coat that stopped at the back of their calves. Both were taller than Vlad but not taller than Bertrand.

"Nikos and Hagar at your service, Chosen One." Vlad's expression tightened, Erin didn't realise that he didn't like being addressed like that or was that he didn't like being addressed like that *yet*. "We're your new guard."

Hagar looked Erin up and down with a look of pure disgust; he was more muscular than Nikos. His head was dreadlocked, the locks of thick raven hair reaching down to the middle of his back. His neck had tattoos all down it of various houses that he'd clearly served in wars. Nikos was bald, he had a piercing gaze as he swept his eyes all over her, and he licked his lips looking directly at her neck.

Erin was now used to that look and didn't flinch making him smile even more.

They glanced up at him and Vlad jaw locked. "Who sent you?"

Nikos sounded too confident as he spoke, "We've been sent as a gift to protect the Chosen One."

"Who by?"

"Ramanga."

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Vlad knew that no good could come of his present being sent from Ramanga, he didn't trust the vampires as far as he could throw him.

"I don't need a guard, I already have one."

"Ramanga doesn't think so, he thinks your current bodyguard is… inadequate. He'd prefer that the Chosen One was better protected."

"I bet he would." Erin muttered under her breath.

Nikos fixed her with a harsh gaze, "What was that breather?"

Vlad rolled his eyes and pushed Erin behind him, "Tell him thank you but I don't want his gift." He glared at them; they looked slightly shocked by the intensity of his words.

"Ramanga will be insulted…"

His fangs snapped down and he hissed through them, he wasn't going to let them intimidate him. "I don't care, he's not future Grand High Vampire, I am. I will be sending his gift back to him. I pick my own guard no one else."

"What's going on?" Another voice asked sweetly, Erin watched as Vlad tensed as he internally fought to force himself to act nicer. "Renfield said you had a present, can I see?" Erin was always wary when Ingrid acted nicely.

Vlad gestured with his arm towards the two vampires, "Ramanaga's sent a body guard to protect me."

Neither of them noticed how Ingrid froze at the mention at the name nor the carefully directed smiles at the Dracula sibling. Ingrid realised then that this 'present' wasn't for Vlad; it was to check up on her.

They didn't get a chance to as the study seemed to become a popular place, "Erin, you haven't forgotten your appointment have you?" Alex asked her peering into the Count's study, she'd been lucky that the art class had known where they'd gone.

"What appointment?"

"The one you scheduled with the local authority councillor about your living arrangements?" Erin looked at Vlad in complete confusion. He shook his head, his bottom lip protruding as he couldn't understand it himself.

"What councillor?" She wasn't using very imaginative language, she hoped Vlad knew what Miss McCauley was talking about but from the looks of it he didn't have a clue either.

Alex rolled her eyes, "They're waiting in my office now, don't keep them waiting."

She stepped to one side; she wasn't going to wait for Vlad to finish his conversation. Not while there was someone in her office. Vlad and Erin looked at the vampires before looking back at Ingrid. Vlad didn't want Erin to go on her own.

Vlad told Ingrid, "Keep an eye on them."

She nodded mutely, her eyes fixed in fear on the vampires.

Erin could see something was wrong from how quiet and quipless Ingrid was. She didn't want to ask though in front of Miss McCauley.

The head teacher gestured with her arm for Vlad and Erin to walk past her and leave the room

"Your brother is as clueless as you said he was." Hagar commented as the door closed behind Vlad and Erin.

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The door was intimidating as there were no signs what were on the other side.

Vlad's voice was full of venom as he spoke. "If Dad did this…"

Erin knew the Count couldn't be involved, "Vlad I don't think the Count knows what a councillor is."

Vlad nodded and shrugged knowing she was right, the Count would chalk it up as being another breather to bite.

Erin raised her hand ready to knock to find out for sure. Vlad squeezed her hand giving her the strength to do this. She closed her eyes before pushing open the door.

Her gaze swept around the room before settling on her 'councillor' the clue was in the title. Mina Van Helsing.

Erin groaned while Vlad let out an uncontrolled hiss.

Vlad was pushed forward as Alex tried to guide him from the room. "Erin I'm not sure Vlad should be here for this."

"This involves Vlad's family as well." Mina interrupted. "Its just official paperwork, Vlad knows what it is and can explain it to her."

"I didn't realise Vlad was an expert on the law."

"It's paperwork to do with his nationality. We might need his help to translate." Jonno cut in with a smile.

Alex looked between them trying her hardest to ignore the tense atmosphere in the room. Vlad was the most tense, he was ramrod straight but at the same time it was as if he could transform into the most dangerous thing on the planet in a blink.

She was reluctant to leave the room, unsure what might unfold as soon as she left the room but it was clear that none of them were prepared to speak until she left.

As soon as the door closed behind her with a click, signalling that it was fully seated in the lock, Vlad's fangs snapped downwards and he looked at them in disgust.

"What do you want?"

"To talk…"

Their mannerisms weren't threatening, they were more peaceful and open. They hadn't even reached for their stakes yet. They actually looked like they meant what they'd said – they'd come to talk. Their attitude completely contrasting when they'd faced Jonno when the slayers had taken them. It was more like they'd been when they'd helped defeat Sethius.

Erin didn't understand it.

"We really don't have time for this…" Vlad snapped at Jonno and Mina, he had two vampires upstairs that Ingrid was watching over, he knew she wouldn't do anything to jeopardise the power she'd been given so they were in safe hands. "If it's over an answer I've given it to you already, I thought I made it clear enough when you kidnapped us?" Vlad spat at them. "Was it too much effort to try again?" He asked sarcastically.

Jonno wanted to remind Vlad of something. "We did it because you hypnotised us!"

Vlad shook his head remembering the conversation they'd had when he'd brought Erin back from their HQ. "I knew you'd say no…"

"We were going to say yes!"

That shut Vlad up.

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Ingrid didn't like their tone immediately; it set her teeth on edge and her mind racing. "Who are you?"

"Hagar and Nikos," Hagar told her proudly, as if expecting a reaction from her.

"Is that supposed to mean anything to me?"

"We're the guard selected for the new Grand High Vampire when they come to power. Ramanga selected us personally."

"So you're Vlad's bodyguards." She couldn't wait until the Council or the Count found out about that one.

"You really think Ramanga would send us to protect him when he wants him turned to dust?" Hagar laughed, she really was thick. "We were sent to keep an eye on you." They told Ingrid firmly, Nikos circled her like a vulture circling his prey.

"Doesn't Ramanga trust me?" She asked with levity and disappointment injected into it deliberately to disguise her panic at seeing them there.

"He wants to know that you won't double cross him."

"I won't," She told them forcefully, hoping they wouldn't see the truth in her eyes. She took a step backwards and they took one towards her.

Hagar let out a small laugh, his face twisting into a sneer. "He thinks you need reminding of why you shouldn't even think about it."

Ingrid realised in that moment they could hurt her and it wouldn't show.

No one would be any the wiser.

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Vlad blinked, he looked adorably confused "What?" He quizzed the slayers looking at Erin in complete and utter confusion.

"We were going to say yes to helping you." Jonno repeated, adding a fraction more information. He'd never seen Vlad so stunned; Vlad honestly hadn't thought they'd agree.

Vlad shook his head, he retraced everything that had happened on the night of Sethius' death, there was nothing that told him they would help him willingly then but he hadn't really cared so much if he admitted the truth. "You never showed any sign…"

"You could have waited for an answer!" Jonno immediately protested,

"There wasn't enough time and knowing you if you said no you'd completely ruin everything and get Erin drained." Vlad protested, "I couldn't risk anything."

Erin couldn't understand why they were arguing this over. If they were going to say yes anyway why did they insist on those conditions?

Conditions they knew Vlad would never agree to.

Then all the pieces seemed to fall into place.

They weren't the ones pulling the strings.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	16. Ward

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I've been asked to turn this into a two part series again rather than extended chapters…_

_Which would you prefer: a two part thing or extra chapters?_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 16: Ward

Erin couldn't believe that she'd been so blind. Everything was so clear. The reason they'd agreed, the reason they'd escaped so easily, the reason for the conditions.

Everything was so clear in that moment.

Erin smirked, understanding everything, "You didn't agree to those conditions did you? You weren't the ones who thought them up?"

Vlad didn't understand, "Erin what are you…"

"Jonno and Mina don't want a war. They want peace." She looked into his eyes, his eyes narrowed as he saw her meaning, 'and if you want to remain instead of my Vlad you're going to honour that promise'. "That's why we escaped so easily, you let us escape." They knew Vlad had a chance of escaping the cuffs and the reason for there being no guard inside the room. "Everything you said in there was an act because they were watching you."

Jonno nodded, some of the things he'd meant but he'd been intentionally trying to start a fight with them. The part about his father hadn't been acting though. Jonno looked at Mina, "We didn't expect for him to be shot with the immobiliser. We know what will happen if the vampire world gets handed over to us."

Vlad looked away muttering, "You're slayers you should want my kind destroyed."

"The heads of the Guild want you dead. They wanted an excuse to wipe you all out while coming across as the good guys." Jonno shrugged, "Half of the Guild was wiped out, they aren't going to sit by and let you get away with that."

"Vlad had nothing to do with that."

"There's no proof, and do you really think they'll look for it? It gives them the excuse they need."

"Dad's already declared war on you for taking me, although he hasn't been told why yet." Vlad muttered the end of his sentence but they all heard it loud and clear.

"You haven't told the Count?" Jonno was confused, he'd have thought that Vlad would have told his family what the slayers had wanted but he hadn't.

"I was distracted before I could." He answered, refusing to go into any more detail than that.

"Did you take those files?" Mina asked Erin pointedly, Erin feigned ignorance. "The ones on the desk, I left them there for you to take."

Erin finally answered, "Yeah."

"You need to read them through with Vlad."

That worried Erin if they wanted her to read and share their contents with Vlad, "What's in them?"

Jonno's mouth opened and closed before he settled on an answer. "Something you need to read for yourselves."

For them not to be able to say it, Erin knew it was grave.

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Mina sighed, "We haven't got long, we'll be missed soon and we need to do something." They needed to warn Vlad and do something else equally as important. The Guild would be keeping an eye on them, they were out doing 'reconnaissance' as their cover. If they didn't return soon the Guild would sent slayers to look for them.

"What? Slay me?" Erin hit him in the shoulder, Jonno nearly laughed at the indignant look on the vampire's face.

Mina ignored him, "If nothing else we need to sort out Erin."

Erin stiffened and Vlad pulled her to him. Vlad reacted first, "You're not taking her."

Mina shook her head; she knew Vlad would act like that. "What I mean is Erin and Ryan were taken into slayer care when they were three." Erin looked downwards; Vlad gave her a look of shock. He didn't know this – why hadn't she ever told him? He wasn't angry he just didn't understand why she hadn't told him. It couldn't be something she was comfortable with. "Erin is a ward of the Guild just like her brother was,"

"Ryan's still alive!" Erin snapped at them, she hated him being spoken of as dead.

"Not on paper." Mina reminded her quietly. Their paperwork had him registered as dead. "Erin's a liability to us, she betrayed us for you. She's made enemies amongst the Guild."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Vlad asked sharply.

Jonno and Mina shared a glance, "Our main option is to mark her as being transformed into one of you but if we do there's a chance other members of the Guild will try to slay her even if she hasn't been turned." Jonno explained, he didn't want to see Erin hurt but what she'd done couldn't go away without some form of punishment. "We can banish her from the Guild but she's still legally our responsibility until she's eighteen." Jonno gestured to Vlad, "And she's four months younger than you."

Erin knew the outcome. "I'll be locked away." She knew they wouldn't release her when her birthday came, she'd be a prisoner of the Guild for the rest of her life.

Vlad turned her head towards him, "I won't let that happen." He looked at the slayers. "What are you going to do?" Vlad asked them firmly.

"All I can think of is transferring her into your father's care." Vlad snorted at that the Count would never agree to it. "Or your sister's…" Vlad gave them a dirty look, "She's over eighteen Vlad, she can be her Guardian."

"The only thing that Erin could do is claim you hypnotised her…" Jonno didn't finish.

"No." Erin spoke sharply; she wasn't going to reduce how she felt about him to a 'lie' to keep the Guild happy.

Mina looked down at her watch, "I can delay the paperwork for a week at most, but after that they'll be coming for her. Those are the main options, there might be others but you need to decide what you want to do."

"Thank you." Erin told them sincerely, they were giving them warning and a chance to think it over.

"They can't find out we were here." Mina spoke quietly and Erin nodded, there were taking a huge risk coming here. "We'll keep an eye on what's happening inside the Guild but it might be short notice." Erin nodded.

Jonno stood, his back clinking from being held at an uncomfortable angle in the chairs. "You don't deserve her Vlad." Jonno spoke quietly, looking at Erin wistfully.

Vlad's answer was nothing more than a whisper. "I know."

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Vlad strode along the corridors, anger burning through him increasing with every step he took the sound of his shoes on the wooden flooring mimicking thunder.

"This is a waste of time, they're slayers there can't be peace no matter what *he* thinks." He spat out. The Guild weren't going to consider peace so he didn't see why he should either. "They want to take you away there's no way I'm going to think about peace…"

Erin yanked him towards her, "If you expect to remain as you are then you're going to listen Vladimir," He snapped his fangs down in response before pulling them back up before she saw them again. "Peace is the way forward and I don't care how evil you are you're not going to lose sight of that."

He spoke without thinking, "Peace is weakness…"

"Being with me is weakness or have you forgotten that?" She didn't need to hear his apology to know he regretted his words the moment he spoke them.

They became quiet for a few minutes before Vlad spoke softly, he wanted to understand something.

"Is that why you didn't tell me anything?" Vlad asked her quietly. "And why you wanted your brother back so much? You were brought up by the Guild."

Erin looked down, "You have a big family Vlad, I just have Ryan. I've never opened up to anyone, you're the first and it isn't easy. I don't keep secrets on purpose to hurt you I'm scared of being hurt if people find out." She looked at him pain in her eyes, her throat tightened as she spoke words she'd never told anyone else. "I can't even remember our parents Vlad. I don't know anything about them, or how they died, they weren't killed by vampires but they were slayers. I have slayer blood." She chuckled humourlessly at that. "I betrayed the people who took us in, trained us and gave us a home, it's not something they're going to forgive or forget easily."

"You have a home here now, with me." He assured her caressing her shoulders "And you'll always have me."

"You don't have to pretend Vlad," Erin told him firmly, although she was glad he'd offered that. "I know you'll change your mind about me at some point. You're evil, you won't have a choice."

"I won't." He told her firmly, cupping her cheeks in his hands, stroking the apples of her cheeks lightly with his thumbs. "Because I love you."

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Erin's answer was to just blink. His words startled her completely, he would never have told her those words that's what he said – or rather implied. "What?" She asked breathlessly.

"I love you." He repeated clearly, he never thought his evil would let him say the words but they tumbled from his lips easily.

Erin's mouth suddenly went dry and she fixed her gaze on him. For the first time he wasn't holding anything back from her. It was almost as if both Vlad's were involved now, both of them standing in front of her rolled into one. There was nothing that showed that they were too separate people.

Vlad closed his eyes expecting rejection, he was preparing to wince at her answer.

Looking at him she could only say one thing to him, "I love you too." His eyes snapped open at her words, they were the last thing he expected to hear from her. She could see doubt in his eyes, "I love my Vlad," She paused as a lump formed in her throat, she grimaced as he flinched at her words, "And I love you." She continued when she finally found the words. She meant every word.

Those were the words he'd wanted to hear from her since he'd emerged. He could feel that his other half felt exactly the same way.

He pulled her to him and captured her lips. Immediately she let him deepen the kiss, clutching his shoulders as she shivered as his tongue brushed hers teasingly before battling for domination. He slanted his mouth over hers, kissing her easier. His fingers twisted in her hair, guiding her head.

Erin pulled back, her breathing heavy, her chest heaving. She envied his lack of need for air.

Vlad trailed his lips down her neck making her moan. He enjoyed the sound she made, his lips quirked upwards in a small smile. He opened his mouth further and gently suckled on the skin at her collar bone, her head lolled towards him.

His hands found a gap underneath her shirt. She gasped as she felt his cold fingers creep up her spine. She arched into him, tightening her fingers in his hair. He was pulled down slightly but he didn't let that stop him at all.

Vlad pulled back to look her in the eyes silently asking her a question. Did she want to go further? Erin bit her lip lightly, feeling herself growing nervous, she nodded.

"Are you sure?" He asked out loud this time.

She looked down before looking into his eyes seeing the compassion in them, he still wasn't hiding or keeping any part of himself from her. It only confirmed what she'd thought she'd seen earlier – this was both Vlad's. That made her decision so much easier. "Yeah."

He smiled at her nervously, nodding as he stepped closer. Erin let out a nervous laugh as he pulled her awkwardly closer. The ease of their intimacy suddenly becoming tense and awkward with a mutual decision to take things further between them.

Vlad leaned in again, pausing a few times to check that she hadn't changed her mind. He didn't want her to regret anything. Her eyes didn't change, she wanted this. She brought her hand up to his cheek, pulling his face to hers, hoping they'd lose themselves and everything would happen naturally.

Their lips moved against each other slowly at first before Vlad felt her relax which made him relax. His hand soon found a comfortable position on her hip. His fingers traced patterns on the shirt until it rode up and he could slip his hand underneath it again. As soon as it lifted he grasped the hem between his fingers and began to lift it up, if managed to stop just short of her bust, bunching up awkwardly.

Vlad tugged at her shirt, letting out a frustrated groan as it refused to move. Erin couldn't help it and broke the kiss, giggling lightly and drawing an irritated glare to herself. He wasn't impressed at all with her shirt. A mighty vampire defeated by her shirt – it was even funnier because it was one that used to be his.

Erin moved closer to him, beginning to pepper kisses along his jaw distracting him completely making him more irritated as he tried to pull her shirt from her. Eventually he could only see one way he was getting that shirt from her, he gripped the two halves between his fingers and began to pull.

Erin pulled back from him, placing her hands on his chest and pushing him back to arm's length. His hands left her shirt and gently grasped her wrists. "You tear off the buttons then you're sowing them back on." She told him dangerously. He chuckled at her tone; anyone would think she was the vampire. She loved this shirt, it was one of the ones Vlad had loaned her when she'd first arrived and that he'd never asked for back. It was blue plaid and seemed to have always retained his scent, there was no way she was going to let him ruin it.

Vlad's hands trailed up from her wrists; grasping the small plastic buttons with a force that was close to breaking them he slowly began to unbutton the shirt – with exaggerated care. It almost had her squirming. "Better?"

Erin looked down, "Yeah." He pushed it from her shoulders, throwing it onto the floor before pulling her close once more. Erin shivered as the air hit her, the black, cotton vest top wasn't doing anything to stop the feeling of the cool air on her arms.

Vlad saw the vivid bruises he'd caused still on her skin, the purple marks now yellowing. He pressed soft kisses to them as if hoping his touch would make them heal. Erin's head lolled towards him. She noticed he didn't touch her bandaged arm, he left it alone completely.

"I'm sorry." He whispered as he kissed them. Erin didn't feel them, the slash on her arm was the painful thing nothing else.

Erin reached for Vlad's t-shirt, her hands stilling as she grasped the hem. Doubt began to fill her; she didn't want to disappoint him.

Vlad noticed her hesitation and cupped her cheek, "It's okay." He assured her, stepping away from her. He wasn't going to push her. He reached for her discarded shirt. "I love you and I'll wait. We don't have to do this now."

His understanding melted her heart. It wasn't that she didn't want to do this, she did – more than anything, she just didn't want him to be disappointed. She couldn't bear it if he was. She loved him, she wasn't afraid to admit it any more, she didn't want to spoil everything by ruining their first time together. He was the future Grand High Vampire and she was a former slayer who couldn't even slay a vampire.

"I don't want to disappoint you." She whispered to him, "I'm no one…"

"You're mine." He told her firmly, his conviction making her breath catch in her throat. "You won't disappoint me. Is that what's stopping you?" He was curious, he didn't want to push her into something she wasn't ready for, if she had more doubts then he'd rather know about them.

She nodded. "I'll ruin it for you." She warned him.

"You won't." He assured her, nodding as he spoke trying to show her he was certain. "I want to be with you, no one else. I don't care how it'll be." He just wanted to be with her and no one else.

She shook her head not believing him. "Vlad…"

"Trust me, you can't disappoint me." He moved further back, "Take your time, I'll wait as long as you want me to."

His words gave her all the confidence she needed.

Erin moved her hands from his hem to his chest and bunched the material in her fists. Erin pulled him back to her, wrapping her arms around his neck. She pressed herself against him. Kissing him soundly. She reached down for the base of his shirt. "I'm ready." She whispered before pulling it over his head in one go. It landed with a dull thump on the floor behind them.

She smiled at him shyly before he wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her with him into the coffin. He took the brunt of the impact looking up at her, he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear his fingers lingering there for a few moments.

Erin reached down and gripped her vest, taking a breath she pulled it over her head. She gasped as more cold air hit her without the material to protect her. Her skin began to goose bump as she found her gaze fixed on Vlad's awed face. She felt embarrassed; no one had ever seen her like this before. She went to cover herself again but Vlad caught her fingers and laced them with his stopping her.

"You're beautiful." He whispered, enjoying the way his words made a blush creep down from her face and across the rest of her body. She blinked slowly, trying to force the blush from her body.

Vlad pulled her down to him, moulding their lips together as he rolled her underneath him.

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Ingrid found herself thrown backwards, her back slamming into the floor as Nikos' fingers dug into her neck, tightening around it painfully.

"Ramanga doesn't like betrayal." She knew this was just a warning of what would happen if she betrayed the vampire who'd placed so much faith in her.

"I won't betray him." She told them, her voice coming out strained as she fought against his grip.

"We were sent to give you a taste of what'll happen if you do."

Suddenly Nikos was thrown backwards his hands torn from around Ingrid's throat. His nails carved grooves in her skin as he clutched her tighter trying to hold on.

Ingrid was yanked to her feet and pushed backwards behind her saviour. Her hand clutched at her throat, pain searing through it making her wince. She glanced up seeing familiar, coal coloured, tightly curled hair.

Relief flooded her at the sight of Bertrand.

"Are you alright?" He asked Ingrid, not once ignoring the vampire he'd thrown backwards or taking his eyes off the other that had been too close to the downed Ingrid for comfort. Ingrid didn't deserve to be physically beaten no matter what she'd done.

Hagar stepped forward intimidatingly but he didn't expect Bertrand to step forward as well, rising to his challenge. "What does he want?"

"You don't touch a Dracula. Especially not the Chosen One's sister." Nikos began to laugh. "And not the future ruler of our kind." Bertrand was shocking himself by saying the words but he wanted them to understand that he wasn't going to let them get away from it.

His words seemed to stop them in their tracks and Hagar looked at her in curiosity, "He knows?"

Ingrid nodded, "Everything." She confirmed.

"So you have a guard of your own, interesting." Nikos smirked, "Just remember what I said, we're not going anywhere so don't even think about trying to tell your baby brother about us." He stepped back, "Let's find some coffins so we can start out 'duty' as soon as possible."

He threw a menacing smile at Ingrid before the pair of them disappeared across the other side of the school.

Things had just grown twice as difficult for her.

Bertrand spun around, his arm pointing in the direction the vampires had just gone, "That's why you shouldn't have entered an agreement with Ramanga!"

Ingrid looked at him in outrage. "I could have handled them. They probably think that I need protecting now…"

She was glad he was there but she wasn't willing to let him know that.

Bertrand silenced her with an infuriated look. "I'm involved now Ingrid and don't think for one second I want to be."

He pushed past her, jostling her shoulder as he did so.

Furious with her and furious at himself for intervening.

Ingrid didn't say anything she just let him go.

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Vlad stirred feeling something move against him, he looked down and smiled. Erin's hair was everywhere; he lifted his left hand and stroked her silky hair back down. He was glad he couldn't see how bad his hair was although he supposed it was just as bad. She wore a faint smile on her lips; Vlad brushed her still flushed cheek feeling the warmth in them.

He loved how warm she was; he traced his clan badge on her bare shoulder, carefully avoiding the bandage still on her arm. He couldn't remember how the cape had ended up covering them, it must have been done in concern for her. He pulled it up over them more fully, shielding more of her naked body from the cold.

She moved a fraction, tightening her arms around him, her smile deepening. He closed his eyes, burying his nose deeply into her hair; he knew all her fears would be unfounded.

Then something tickled his nose and he only just managed to lean over the side of the coffin as he wretched, emptying his stomach on the floor.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	17. Bit of Blood

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Sorry for not posting, I've damaged my back making it very painful to sit and type at the moment. I've got a weak back thanks to a car accident and someone hit me with a pushchair (not watching where they were going) knocking me over and forcing me to wrench my back._

_I'm afraid I might have to go down to one post a night because of it for a few chapters; I'm trying not to but check the summary just in case I only post one. I won't stop posting again though._

_A T chapter again and an extra-long one…_

Chapter 17: Bit of Blood

Vlad's stomach quivered as he turned to check his retching hadn't woken Erin, she was still sleeping peacefully. The smell assaulted his nostrils once again and he clutched his stomach swallowing hard to stop the sickness from rising again.

He glanced around the room trying to locate the source of the smell, it was coming from next to him – Erin.

It wasn't the scent of blood pumping around veins it was the scent of blood being released, coming into direct contact with the air with no barriers of skin to reduce the scent.

Vlad shakily lifted up the cape, moving away from Erin he saw small spots of blood on the lining. It had never affected him like this before the smell; usually it unleashed hunger in him but never sickness. He knew he was resistant to Erin's blood but not like this, it had never happened before.

Gently he moved her to check he hadn't bitten her or scratched her in any way. He didn't remember hurting her in that way. He couldn't see any marks, other than the scratches that were scabbed over. That meant the blood could have only come from one place and he doubted it was that time of the month for her.

He wrenched himself free from the coffin, trying to put as much distance between him and Erin, completely disgusted at himself. He looked down seeing the evidence of how he felt. He'd have to clean that up before anyone saw it.

It was obviously a mixture of the scent of her blood and the fact he'd caused it that was making him feel so uneasy and sick.

He grabbed his jeans throwing them on quickly before looking for something to clean the mess up.

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Vlad rubbed his hands across his face, his eyes were puffy, blotchy and black, his stomach was constantly churning as he fought to keep its contents inside him.

He pulled his legs up in front of him on the couch and wrapped his arms around his knees, burying his head in his knees trying to ignore the smell overpowering his senses.

His keen memory could picture the blood in the coffin every time he closed his eyes. The stain underneath her. He shook his head looking at Erin still sleeping in his coffin. She looked peaceful, the smile was still on her face, he doubted she even knew what he'd done to her.

He'd had small tastes of the scent of her blood but nothing like this. It was heavenly that's what made him feel so repulsed.

She was beautiful lying there, wrapped in his cape. She didn't look as if anything was bothering her, she looked comfortable. The flush in her cheeks had disappeared, she looked so peaceful.

Erin reached out in the coffin, only coming in contact with nothing. Her eyes snapped open as a chill raced through her. Erin stood carefully, wrapping the cape around her, bunching it tightly in her fists to stop it from opening. She stepped out of the coffin taking care not to tread of the ends of the large cape.

Vlad looked at her, for the first time she saw self-loathing on his face. "I hurt you."

Erin's brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?" She was sore but delightfully so.

"Last night. I. Hurt. You." He told her his fangs lowering. A cold wind swept through the room as he punctuated each word. She shivered and hugged herself to try and stop herself feeling the cold, nearly dropping the cape in the process. Erin went to touch him but he shrugged away from her, speeding across the other side of the room.

Erin looked down at herself moving the cape out of her way to do so, the leather creaked as she repositioned it; she couldn't see any marks at all – other than the bandage half hanging off her arm and the bruises he'd accidentally given her days before. No fresh scratches, no fresh bruises, nothing. There was nothing about herself that he could feel sorry for, then it came to her. She looked down a delicate blush covering her cheeks.

"It nearly always hurts…" She whispered to him, looking away but he stopped her from continuing.

Vlad's heart dropped to the floor, he couldn't hurt her again. The sickness rose in him once more. "Then we can't ever…"

"The first time." She could feel her cheeks burning, flaming red. Vlad looked at her in disbelief, he shook his head, "I've never… before… you're the first…" She couldn't stop herself from stammering and stumbling over her words.

Vlad looked unsure, he glance back at the coffin seeing the patch of blood. Erin followed his gaze; she was proud of him for having stayed in the room with the blood in there and not reacted to it in the draining her way.

"The blood, it happens the first time." She hadn't considered it when she'd said yes, she hadn't thought about how hard it would be for him to resist it. She sighed and crossed the room towards him. Vlad's eyes darted around the room as he tried to decide whether to escape or not and leave her to recover. Erin caught his face in her hands before he could fully decide, the cape slipped from her to the floor. "Vampire women don't bleed obviously." That's what had scared him she knew that but it was a common thing for human women, Vlad wouldn't have been told about this, he would have only been told about vampire women as he'd been growing up.

"They don't." He confirmed. He didn't know it could happen, he would have thought this through more if he'd known.

"It won't hurt again and it didn't hurt so much anyway." She promised him, standing on her toes to kiss his jaw lightly. It hadn't been so agonising she couldn't bear it, it was more uncomfortable pain than anything else at first but it did fade away. She knew it would happen but Vlad clearly didn't. She began to wonder if it was because vampire women's bodies changed when they reached sixteen. "It's like it for most breather women." She assured him lightly. "Next time," She saw his eyes meet her shy ones, as if he doubted she'd let there be a next time. "I won't bleed. It won't happen again." She promised him.

He felt the nausea begin to dissipate at her words; there were no hints of a lie in her eyes. She'd looked at him as she'd spoken and she didn't seem hurt. It wasn't as bad as he feared.

Vlad shook his head, "I hate that I hurt you." He whispered, he could hurt everyone else but not her. Erin felt him stroke the soft skin of her hips lightly with the pads of his fingers. She closed her eyes involuntarily and her breathing sped up a fraction. He smirked at her reaction and stilled his fingers knowing what it would do to her. "I thought I'd done something wrong when I saw the blood… been too rough or something…" He whispered, he should have known there would be a slight difference between vampire and human women. "I've never… either." He finished lamely.

Erin ran a finger along his jaw. She brought his head down to kiss him lightly, "I enjoyed it Vlad, a few seconds of pain and a bit of blood won't change that." Vlad had been gentle and listened when she told him to be careful and wait until she was ready, that meant more to her than anything else. "I'm sorry you weren't ready for the blood. I should've thought about it."

She traced her fingers over the fangs that were still extended. She'd never touched his fangs before; they were oddly fascinating and beautiful. They were pure white and just as sharp as she imagined them to be.

Vlad was amazed at her actions, no one had ever touched his fangs before – his teeth yes when he was younger but never his fangs when they were fully in the biting position. He watched the fascination on her face, equally enraptured himself. She wasn't repulsed by them but she never had been, they made her jump but she'd never been scared of them. "I promised I won't bite you and I won't go back on that." He looked at the cape on the floor.

She was nervous as she asked her next question, terrified of his answer. "Did you enjoy it?" Her fears resurfaced from earlier, the fear that she wouldn't please him.

"I can't believe you're asking me that." He smiled at her; he thought it was a silly question. His smile was filled with love as he looked at her. He closed the distance between them and kissed her sweetly as his answer, as he pulled back she smiled at him widely. He brushed her neck with his fingertips.

"Why do you do that?" Erin asked him referring to him stroking her neck, she knew it was a sign of affection just like kissing her neck was, but she wanted to know why. "I mean I know it shows affection but why there, why not the cheek although you do it anyway?" She was stumbling over herself trying to get her question across.

"Because for vampires it's a sensitive place." He told her, Erin nodded, remembering how surprised he'd acted when she'd kissed there lightly. "It's a place that turns breathers into us and a place that can change our loyalty. It's the most vulnerable part of our kind. Letting someone else touch there shows how much we trust them and care for them," He lowered his lips to her neck making her shiver, "And how much we love them." With that he pressed an open mouthed kiss to her skin, making his way down her neck to her collar bone.

"I love you too." She answered with a sigh at his actions – then her senses seemed to come back to her.

Erin placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away, tracing patterns on his bare chest as she did so. He looked slightly put out. She looked down at herself, seeing a little of the blood on her legs, mainly from where she'd lain on it. Then she felt embarrassed at her state of undress and reached for his cape to wrap around her again to cover herself.

Vlad caught her hand, "I meant what I said, you're beautiful." Erin ducked her head down in embarrassment.

Erin gestured with her head towards the coffin, composing herself. "Unless you want the others to smell the blood I'm getting a shower." She told him with a firm kiss on his lips. "But not before I clean that blood up." She went to cross the room towards it but Vlad caught her wrist and pulled her back to him.

"Salt and water." Vlad answered immediately Erin gave him the strangest of looks. "I'm a vampire, blood stains are a part of it." He shrugged, "You pick up things with Renfield around." He looked at her seeing her shivering; he grabbed the cape and wrapped it around her shoulders feeling guilty for stopping her. "I'll clean it up, you shower."

"You'll need to shower as well." She reminded him. There was probably blood on him that he hadn't realised was there. She glanced at the clock behind him twenty past six in the morning. "Then I need to stay in my room until breakfast."

Vlad looked disappointed but this was for her safety more than his, "I'll see you at breakfast." Erin grabbed her clothes and threw them on before handing him the cape. Vlad folded it and placed it on the back of the couch.

She reluctantly made her way over to the door and gripped the handle of it, Erin gave a sigh, "Sneaking around again."

Vlad didn't like sneaking around but he knew they had to. "Yeah."

He moved across to her, he looked at her slightly cheekily, he bent down and kissed her. He looped his arms around her waist, feeling her arch up against him. The fabric of her shirt felt strange against his bare skin, but not uncomfortably so. Erin nipped his lip, impatient with him being distracted, he knew what she wanted and allowed their tongues to battle. He felt her sigh as he brought a hand up to tangle in her still messy hair.

Erin clearly decided that his hair needed to be mussed as well and ran her fingers through it tugging on the smooth strands. She loved the sensation of his cool lips against her warm ones. She cursed as she felt the need to pull back from him, he was lucky not having to breathe.

She rested her forehead against his, his icy skin cooling her newly flushed skin. "What was that for?" She was breathless.

He looked at her as if it were obvious, granted it was morning: "A good night kiss."

The sound of her gentle chuckles echoed down the corridor the short few yards to her room.

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Nikos and Hagar gave Vlad a look of pure disgust as he boldly pecked Erin's lips in front of his family. Erin was rigid as she sat there; he'd never done that before in front of them. He'd hugged her briefly and held her hand but never kissed her.

"Hey." He greeted as he threw his bag on the table with a bang.

"Hey." She answered her voice slightly higher than normal as they pretended that this was their first meeting of the day. He pulled out his chair sitting down heavily in it.

"The Chosen One shouldn't be near breathers. Let alone date one!" Hagar shouted at Vlad. Vlad had been trying to forget they were still here, they clearly hadn't listened to him when he'd told them to leave.

"A slayer actually." The Count muttered, rattling his paper as he tried to stop the edge flopping inwards as he read it.

"Dad!" Vlad hissed angrily seeing the way his girlfriend's face fell. It was something he hadn't wanted confirmed by his family, he preferred to leave it to gossip.

Nikos advanced towards Erin, "She shouldn't be here."

Vlad stood sharply, the table shifting forwards half a foot as the force of his action pushed it back. "In case you've forgotten I'm the Chosen One, I make the decisions here and you obey them! Any more insults and I will dust you here and now are we clear?" Hagar and Nikos blinked as they watched him. "Are we clear?"

"Yes Chosen One." Vlad ground his teeth looking down, focusing on the bowl of cereal in front of him.

"I thought I told you to leave." He reminded them.

The Count threw down his paper. "I asked them to stay."

Vlad bristled, sharing a look with Erin. "When and why?"

"A few hours ago. Its rude not accept a gift from someone as important as Ramanga." As he spoke he looked at Nikos and Hagar seeing their approving glances.

Vlad let out a loud scoff, Erin winced as she knew where this might be headed. "You're scared of Ramanga." He summarised, it was obvious although Ramanga should be scared of them and not the other way around.

"I am not scared of anyone." Vlad let out a huff. "What does that mean Vlad?"

Erin grabbed Vlad's hand and squeezed it. He nodded calming down.

"Nothing." He snapped, "I'm going to school." Vlad pushed his bowl away from him, it slid across the smooth table, leaving a clean streak through the dirt as it cleared a path, only stopping short of falling off the other side of the table and grabbed his bag from the back of his chair.

Vlad looked at Erin, silently telling her he'd meet her downstairs. She nodded. With her understanding he sped from the room.

"Come back here Vladimir!"

He didn't come back.

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Erin couldn't wait to be out of the changing rooms, she hated being near Becky whenever they'd had an argument over Vlad. It wasn't a case of them fighting over him it was a case of Erin trying to get Becky to leave them alone.

She took care that people didn't see her fading bruises; she'd opted to wear a t-shirt underneath her shirt again. She didn't want people getting the wrong ideas. When Becky asked Erin had said that it was because her shirt was see through.

Even though Vlad had joked about being stuck with yellow for a kit she knew what he meant. She hated the bright yellow t-shirt and black shorts, the shorts always felt too short although some of the girls took advantage of that. The t-shirt was bright and the socks were a nightmare, they hurt if you looked at them for too long.

"Why are you smiling?" Carl asked Erin as she emerged from the changing rooms, adjusting the sleeve of her shirt to make sure it hid her bandages.

"I'm not." She answered, but she knew it was a lie she could feel the way her lips were pulling upwards.

"You are." He grinned her smile was infectious. Erin gave a shrug, peering behind Carl to see if she could see Vlad. He was sulking because he had to be in this PE lesson. They had a strange PE schedule, they were outside for two lessons a week at the moment, but they were inside for one. This was the one they were inside for – badminton. "Spill." He told her firmly.

"It's none of your business." She answered, getting slightly worked up. She never responded well to pressure, Vlad knew that and usually ended up with a tongue lashing from her.

"Is it about Vlad?" He pressed; Erin blushed involuntarily cursing herself for being mortal.

"Just leave it alone." Erin snapped at him, she rarely got angry with Carl but this was one of those moments. She knew how Carl felt about her and she wasn't interested, she didn't mind being friends but she didn't want it to go further, he was attractive but she wasn't attracted *to* him.

"So it's personal then?" He smirked ignoring her comment, "Are you thinking about dumping him?" Erin's eyes narrowed at Carl's remark. She never felt comfortable talking about her personal life, even Vlad knew that even though he now knew the reason why.

"No." She snapped at him, "And that's all I'm telling you."

Erin felt a pair of hands slip around her waist, grasping her hips lightly. She relaxed in the familiar grip, "You okay?" He'd obviously heard that she was getting worked up. He fixed Carl with a hard stare; he knew that Carl wasn't leaving her alone when she'd asked him to.

"Yeah." She reached behind him and cupped his neck, tracing a pattern there. Carl looked confused at the gesture it wasn't something he'd ever seen before. He assumed she was reaching for his cheek and missed but she never made an effort to move her hand to his cheek. She dropped her hand to her side, she moved her head to look up at him, "Badminton today."

"Prefer rugby." Vlad muttered under his breath.

"You like rugby?" Erin asked him in surprise, how had she not bothered to ask before? Then again she didn't expect it with him being a vampire. Then she realised something else. "You know how to play rugby?"

"Yeah." He shrugged, it was part of going to Stokely. The Welsh were very serious about their rugby and he enjoyed it. "The violence is the reason Dad let me play." Erin laughed at that it sounded like something the Count would agree to. "I just wouldn't cheat."

"You never cheat, not even like this." She told him grinning. Her words confused Carl, it was as if she was talking about two separate people.

"Count! Noble!" Mr Golding cried seeing their postures. Mr Golding was a young PE teacher, a new addition this year to the school. He was tall and well-muscled, he had thick blonde hair and piercing green eyes. He had a square jaw and a light dusting of stubble. He was attractive to say the least.

"For bats sake." Vlad muttered stepping away from Erin, Erin looked down biting the inside of her cheek. She couldn't help it, his curses meant nothing in her world but were offensive in his.

"Erin you're paired with Carl and Becky you're with Count." Golding never called Vlad by his first name. "See if you can be all affectionate with your new partners." Becky grinned at Vlad missing the sarcasm in Golding's voice.

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Erin narrowly missed the shuttlecock that skimmed her head, ducking down to doge it. She frantically searched around the room once she'd managed to stand up properly. She saw a sheepish looking Vlad, he shrugged his apology.

She could see why he'd hit that shuttlecock as hard as he could, Becky was too busy posing at angles that she thought made herself look attractive before giggling as it forced her to miss. He'd gotten worked up and released that pent up energy on hitting the shuttlecock.

Vlad had enough at this point, he made his way to walk out. Erin gestured to Carl seeing what Vlad was going to do. Carl nodded for her to stop him.

Erin jogged to a halt in front of Vlad, she placed a hand on his chest. He glanced fiercely back at Becky anger in his eyes.

"I have to get out." He told her, his fangs twitching to sink into Becky's neck.

"If you go now Golding will take it out on you." Erin told him quietly, glancing back at the young PE teacher. "He'll send you to Miss McCauley." Vlad dropped his head and nodded, "We're going to play doubles in a minute." Erin told him quietly. "We'll be paired against each other."

"How do you know?" He asked. "Golding will do it to spite us, he knows we work well together, he thinks it'll hurt us to compete against each other."

"We're not supposed to be on the same side though are we?" He grinned showing his teeth making her laugh.

Erin's face suddenly dropped, "We won't be paired together…"

"Why not?"

The Count hovered in the doorway. "Vladimir I want a word."

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Vlad passed Erin the badminton racket and made his way – slowly – across to the Count.

"I'm in school, you can't take me out." Vlad told his father seeing the way everyone's eyes were on him.

The Count didn't care, a public situation gave him power. "We need to talk about your behaviour."

Erin felt her blood run cold at that, the Count had noticed. "I'm just tired, if I get some sleep I'll be back to my normal self." Vlad tried to cover; Erin noticed there wasn't an apology in there.

The Count looked at him sceptically before throwing a look over his son's shoulder to Erin. "That's not all we have to talk about."

"After school." Vlad promised, tipping his head and nodding.

The Count looked at his son carefully, his eyes narrowing. His son had a point, they couldn't talk about this in front of Erin. "Tonight." He agreed before sweeping from the room.

Vlad now had something else to look forward to.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	18. Forbidden

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_A longer chapter…_

_Is there anything you want me to include?_

_Please let me know what you think so far…_

Chapter 18: Forbidden

Bertrand had lasted a whole twelve hours before he couldn't stand it anymore; he needed to do something about it.

As soon as sunset came he barged into Ingrid's room without knocking. Ingrid spun around as fast as she could, looking at her intruder. Anger and embarrassment crossed her face as she looked at him; luckily she was just slipping on her necklace as the final stage of her dressing.

"What are you doing?" She half shouted at him, regretting not locking the door rather than simply closing it. "This is my room…"

Bertrand completely ignored her as he grabbed her arm firmly in his grip. Ignoring her protests he dragged her from her room and along the corridor. Her feet scraped and dragged along the floor as she tried to wrench her arm from him but he was too strong.

This was something they needed to discuss on their own in a territory that was unfamiliar to their new 'guests'.

Ingrid tried to struggle against him but he kept her walking, onwards and onwards.

Ingrid was silent as he took the direct and shortest route to the town. He didn't speak either which was worrying because he was obviously deciding what to say or should that be editing what he wanted to say.

Ingrid looked confused; she'd never expected Bertrand to come into the town. He pulled her into the large shopping complex. He glanced around with disgust at the breathers.

"I want to know what you're going to do." Bertrand spoke quietly; he was more dangerous when he spoke like that.

Ingrid looked at him helplessly. "I don't know."

"You got yourself into this mess. You must have had a plan."

"I was hoping to have the power of that stupid book." Bertrand shook his head lightly at her words, she wasn't the only one.

"You made the deal before the book was opened, what were you planning to do?" He asked her, noticing how she'd redirected him and forgotten that she'd told him everything about the deal.

"You know how weak he was. I thought he'd be easy to wipe out." Bertrand let out a small his at Ingrid's answer, Vlad was always powerful he just was reluctant to show it.

"That was before you threatened Erin and turned him against her when she found out about your plan. He's more powerful since he came back." Bertrand told her fiercely, Vlad was the leader he should be now. Granted he was still doing things he shouldn't be for example dating a slayer.

"You did as well."

"Vlad let me live. I'm not going to betray him."

"Yet." Ingrid pointed out.

"You know nothing of my loyalty or why I did it."

"I don't believe you."

Bertrand could see her scepticism so he decided to share it with her why he'd done what he'd done. "I only betrayed your brother because I wanted that book. He was supposed to open it and lead us to the future, I'd been preparing for it for four hundred years." His eyes hardened, "He refused to do it and I wasn't going to let those four hundred years be proved a waste, if he wasn't going to lead us on I would."

As it was he'd wasted four hundred years of his life.

Ingrid's face softened, a rare occurrence for her. "It was for nothing."

"Nothing." He confirmed, bitter. His whole purpose was gone. He'd missed the chance other vampires had to settle down and have a clan of his own all because his father had pushed him to learn about the book and be taught how to prepare the Chosen One for his destiny – he'd sacrificed everything for that duty. He was past marrying age, young vampire women wouldn't want him because he had no power or inheritance as the book had been his sole inheritance. All titles that would have been passed to him as the oldest were bypassed by inheriting his book; it became part of his sister's dowry when his father was slain.

All he had was Vlad's home for the next three months and he doubted Vlad would want to keep him around after he became Grand High Vampire. He certainly wasn't going to ask for anything.

He shook himself out of his reverie, he hated the pity in her eyes as she realised what that meant for him, "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. It's why I need your help."

"You want me help? Tell Vlad." Bertrand answered as a matter of fact. It was an obvious answer and the only solution he could think of.

Ingrid couldn't believe that was his solution, "Tell Vlad?"

Bertrand didn't care how outrageous it sounded, he'd wasn't ready to be dust after only four hundred years. "Either you tell Vlad or I will."

"I can't tell him!" Ingrid hissed. "If they find out they'll tell Ramanga and they'll turn me to dust."

"And what will your brother do if he finds out another way?" He asked her, wanting her to think about it. She knew Vlad would be hurt and angry, but this time he wouldn't forgive her.

"Fine." Ingrid told him, "But I'll figure out how to tell him, you're not going to."

"You won't tell him." He knew her too well, she'd chicken out of telling him.

"They're watching me at all times, I might not be able to…"

"Then play along." He cut her off, "Make them trust you so they'll leave you along just enough to tell him what's happening." He looked away from her before looking down at her again, "Do you have any idea what Vlad or your father will do to me if they find out about this? They'll turn me to ash."

Ingrid realised that he was in more of a dangerous position, she had the trump card of being Vlad's sister but Bertrand had nothing like that. "I'm sorry." Ingrid told him, for the first time sounding sincere as she said the words.

"I stepped in to stop them hurting you." Bertrand told her quietly. He seemed to realise how that sounded, "Don't make me regret it."

Ingrid felt herself feeling strange at his words; they seemed to affect her somehow in a way she hadn't expected. "I won't." She promised.

He held her gaze and she knew in that moment she'd keep her promise if it was the last thing she did.

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The Count stared at his son. Vlad didn't seem the least bit interested as he glanced around the room trying to find something interesting to look at and failing miserably. Why did all of his lectures have to take place in the training room?

The Count had given up waiting for Vlad to speak, he was trying to make his son feel uncomfortable and speak first to try and get the lecture over and done with, but for the first time Vlad hadn't responded to that. "This has to stop." That drew Vlad's attention back to him.

"What has?" Vlad asked feigning ignorance. He didn't want this conversation.

His words affected the Count the way he expected them to. "The slayer girl, dating her, letting her live here, even talking to her. You kissed her in front of other members of your kind!" Surely Vlad must have realised how inappropriate that was, especially in front of Ramanga's people.

"We don't live in the same room," Vlad told him pointing out the flaw almost bored. Last night was the first time they'd actually been in the same room all night and Vlad wasn't going to share that.

"Vladimir!" The Count called his son's name in exasperation. "You are going to be Grand High Vampire in three months, Erin can't be part of that. Not even if you turned her. It's against the law."

"Maybe I'll change the law." He told the Count, the Count began to laugh before seeing the perfectly serious expression on his son's face.

"It's forbidden Vladimir."

That hit a nerve with Vlad. There were a few forbidden things that couldn't be ignored and Vlad wasn't going to let them be. "So is running off with a werewolf!" Vlad shouted, "You still take her back and don't do anything about it. Your obsession with Miss McCauley as well, a breather. Ingrid turned a breather. I don't care about Erin being a slayer or it being forbidden. We don't really follow the rules in this family."

"Your mother is different!" The Count snapped trying to defend himself but Vlad didn't want to listen.

Vlad nostrils flared and his fists clenched, "Why? Because you are too much of a wimpire to stand up to her? You're the reason she likes to manipulate her children! Do you have any idea what it's been like for me and Ingrid all these years?" He felt years of pent up frustration about this pouring out of him. Every time she came back her children were left more scarred than they were before she came. Vampires were manipulative but to do that to them while they were still children was unforgivable. "Is it any wonder why Ingrid wants us dead?"

"What happened to you?" He asked unsure of his son's behaviour, Vlad had usually backed down by now.

"I took control of my unlife." He snapped at him, "I'm the side you don't want but then again you don't really want either side do you?" Vlad added, anger and bitterness in his tone.

The Count's mouth closed with a click, Vlad was so firm in his belief that he doubted he could convince him otherwise. It hurt that his son thought that but he'd never shown him otherwise. He knew Vlad's evil side had rebelled desperate to show him that he wasn't a disappointment but had gone too far.

"Vlad?" A call came from the door; Erin knew the sound of a vampire argument when she heard one. She stepped into the room, ignoring the daggers the Count was sending her. She stood on her toes behind Vlad, knowing full well that Vlad wouldn't want her directly between him and his father, she reached up and gently kissing his neck. The Count's eyes widened at the gesture. Erin clearly knew what the gesture meant and Vlad was letting her do it without flinching. He didn't miss the ways his son's eyes half closed at the gentle gesture – he enjoyed it.

"You're letting her do that?!" He shouted at Vlad unable to contain his anger at Erin's actions. Erin jumped, she should have thought before kissing him but her instincts had taken over and it was the first thing that came into her mind as a way to relax Vlad.

Vlad knew his father would react to that but Erin didn't, Vlad didn't care he only cared about how he felt about the woman standing behind him. "It's none of your business."

The Count looked at Erin in disgust, "That gesture has a sacred meaning to our kind, letting her do that is offensive! She's a slayer, her parents will have you killed…"

Vlad shot out a fireball, it sped past his father, he'd felt Erin's head drop down so her forehead rested on his back. "Don't ever talk about her parents again." Vlad bit out.

The Count looked behind him at the charred wood, to the left of his head. The wood was still smoking, a thick black ring where it had landed. Vlad had never snapped like that before.

"Slayers aren't chosen Vlad, they're born into the role! Her parents will have killed hundreds of vampires, slayers like that will live on…" He just couldn't just help himself could he, he had to have the last word and in the process completely ignoring his son once again.

"Leave Erin alone." Vlad's voice lowered almost to the ground, his father still had chance to go back. Vlad turned around and away from his father. He pulled her close, she wasn't crying and that worried him.

"She knows she's disappointing them!" The Count cried seeing the way Vlad was cradling her. "A slayer and a vampire isn't natural Vladimir."

Vlad kissed her forehead lightly, feeling her arms wrap around him clutching the back of his shirt tightly in an iron grip. He could feel her warm body penetrating the barrier of his shirt. He wrapped his own arms around her tightly, mindful to listen to any indication he was using too much strength.

Vlad turned to face the Count, his chin brushing the top of Erin's head. "Don't talk about things you don't know anything about."

"If her parents feel the same as me..."

"Erin doesn't have a family!" Vlad shouted at him. Erin winced but Vlad knew he had to speak, "She just has her brother, she's a ward of the Guild." He used the Guild's terms, his father would understand them better.

The Count closed his mouth, thinking over the new piece of information that came to light over Erin. He couldn't back down now not after making such a fuss over her. "Then she has no status either." This was more resigned; status was another important aspect of their culture.

His words, completely lacking in apology, made Vlad even angrier. "This is about more than family or culture or power, this is about how I feel for her. I picked Erin, you didn't get to throw one of the vampire spawn at me like you did for Ingrid!" The Count closed his mouth sharply; Vlad would have and did have vampire heiresses after him. His power and influence was greater than any his world had seen before. Anyone linked with him would be almost as powerful.

"You sound like a slayer." The Count's tone became darker as he spoke, hoping his insult hit the mark. It did as Erin flinched but it had a different reaction from his son.

"I don't need to be one to get rid of vampires who betray me." He dropped his head down, looking through his lids. His eyes blackened in anger. "You betrayed me by trying to blackmail me into giving you power."

"You made Ingrid number two." The Count pointed out. Ingrid had actually tried to kill him more than once.

Vlad dodged the question with one of his own, "Haven't you started fighting over that yet?" He'd expected them to start by now and in truth he was disappointed that they hadn't. It would have kept them distracted from him.

"I want equal partnership, you agreed remember." He was trying to jog Vlad's memory but his son was being stubborn.

Vlad had a twinkle in his eye, "That was the wrong Vlad that agreed to that besides you had me cuffed to a chair with garlic pointed at me, I… he had to say yes." The Count didn't pick up on his hiccup.

"You still agreed."

"I don't have to honour it, you made it with a Vlad that you crossed." Vlad warned slowly, Erin didn't bother to stop him it wasn't obvious this was the Vlad who had vengeance in his mind.

"I'm in charge Vladimir and you will do what I say!"

Vlad wanted to say something else but Erin ran her hand up and down his arm reminding him of what he was doing.

"Not for long." He muttered under his breath before leaving the room with Erin's hand firmly clutched in his.

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The Count couldn't believe his son had acted like that, he'd never pushed his limits like had just done. He was angry at Vlad but at the same time admired him for standing up to him in such a way. However the main issue still hadn't been addressed, Vlad couldn't stay with Erin for the sake of his reputation and hers. Vlad needed to move on while he had the chance. Ingrid had been right when she'd said the best way to get at Vlad was to get Erin, he was looking out for him. Hurting Erin could destroy his son if it developed into love, something he was terrified it already was.

The Count looked across the room seeing Bertrand entering with his daughter, he looked at them suspiciously before going to Bertrand's side.

He leaned in close to Bertrand's ear, "Find out what's different about my son." He ordered.

"Vlad's more confident since he returned." Bertrand answered, trying to defend Vlad and hopefully stop where he thought this was going.

"He's more willing to argue back, I want you to find out what the slayer girl did to him." Bertrand honestly didn't think Erin had done anything to Vlad, Vlad would have changed before he'd disappeared if that was the case but he might be wrong.

Bertrand nodded before stepping back and bowing to his Regent.

He had no choice with his life on the line at the moment, he'd find out what was wrong with Vlad.

At the moment though, it felt like everything he was doing was betraying Vlad.

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Erin closed the door to her room and leaned against it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her eyes snapped open without warning startling Vlad as she settled a harsh glare on him.

"I think he suspects something now." She tried to restrain herself from ringing his neck.

Vlad shrugged, "I don't care." It was about time his father finally understood that Vlad was the one in charge and that he couldn't be walked over anymore.

"I do!" Erin practically shouted, "They won't want you around they'll slay you so they can have your power or have you forgotten what Ingrid did last time? Or maybe they'll just force you from that body reducing your power?"

"You want him back though don't you?" He snapped before looking apologetic and closing his eyes. "I didn't mean that." Erin closed her eyes and nodded accepting his apology. She knew this was part of being with this side of him, he didn't mean what he said she just had to get used to it so it didn't sting.

"I don't want either of you hurt… or worse." Erin told him coming closer, she took his hands lightly and squeezed them before he moved his hands so they could fit perfectly against each other. "I'm a breather, I worry about you."

He looked directly into his eyes. "I can handle them."

"I know." She knew he didn't trust them and would be on the lookout more and more. Vlad opened his arms for her and she stepped into his embrace. She rested her head comfortably on his chest, letting out an involuntary sigh as she felt his arms wrap around her.

"I got the blood out." He spoke quietly, making her chuckle. She buried her face in his chest trying to muffle her laughter. He held her as he felt her shake he couldn't help but laugh as well. "Didn't take long." His coffin had hopefully dried out now.

"Good." She managed to gasp out while trying to get air in her lungs. "I think we upset Mr Golding." Erin whispered, "When played badminton."

"I don't think he liked us playing the way we did." Vlad answered with a smile. He'd grown tired of having to get all the shots while Becky stood there and acted like the shuttlecock would break a bone if it hit her. So it had become a game between him and Erin. Carl had given up not having the stamina to match them. Erin was fitter having been slayer trained.

They'd constantly become more and more frantic in their match, matching each other shot for shot, easily able to anticipate each other's tactics and swings. They hadn't really beaten each other, they'd ended up with equal scores.

"We played against each other like he wanted." She smirked, "I don't think he'll do it again." Vlad had to agree with that, it didn't work as Golding had hoped.

Vlad glanced down at his watch. "I need to sort something out." He told her softly. She looked up at him startled. He clarified. He had something he had to do, something for her.

Erin pulled away from him, grabbing her rucksack she began to stuff it with a few things. Those were the words he'd used when he'd left last time. "When are you leaving?"

"I'm not going anywhere." He smiled at her, enjoying the way she rushed around thinking they were going somewhere. It made his heart fill with love as he watched her want to come with him to help him. "What I have to do I have to do at the school – on my own." Erin didn't like not being around him when he had to pretend to be nice, it worried her in case he slipped and didn't realise it.

Erin was suspicious, "Are you going to tell me why?"

"Afterwards." He promised with a smile.

That really didn't ease her fears.

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Vlad paused at the door he had to enter; he knew he had to do this for her. He tried to compose himself, remove all traces on his face of any nervousness or doubt he felt before entering.

He closed his eyes before taking a deep non beneficial breath in an effort to calm himself. He had to do this calmly he couldn't let anger get the better of him.

He opened his eyes ready; he gripped the brass handle and turned it slowly before walking into the room.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	19. Graves

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I didn't realise this was my fiftieth fanfiction and my sixteenth YD one…_

_I think I'm keeping this as one long story rather than splitting it up into two stories, it'll help keep the continuity in my mind. Although my mind map has spread and all my plots should have been sown in the next few chapters._

Chapter 19: Graves

The room was bare apart from the warped, oak coffin and the figure inside it. Vlad strode across the room; he looked directly into the coffin to see the dark haired shape of Erin's brother.

Ryan sat up sharply, the coffin rocking on its support struts at the sudden movement.

"What are you doing in here?" Ryan snarled, his fangs lowering ready to defend himself.

Vlad folded his arms over his chest. "I want to talk to you."

Ryan's eyes narrowed as he jumped to the wrong conclusion, "I'm not abandoning Ingrid…"

"This isn't about your loyalty to my sister this is about your sister." Vlad told him, anger rising in his tone.

"Erin?" Ryan seemed confused, "What's wrong?" Ryan jumped up, speeding out of the coffin to stand opposite Vlad, his love for his sister coming forth in his mind. Ingrid's bite couldn't alter that. Ryan looked at the shorter vampire, he could see Vlad held more power than he could ever dream of and there was a hint of danger in them.

"Erin betrayed the Guild to save both of us. The Guild need to do something about her and the only thing that's an option at the moment is locking her away because she isn't' eighteen." Vlad looked Ryan in the eye as he said his next words, "And I won't bite her."

Ryan looked at Vlad in slight shock but then again he didn't know Vlad nor did he know what Vlad was capable of. Ryan hadn't realised how much his sister cared for the vampire in front of him until she'd asked him to warn Vlad. Erin wasn't someone who could share her emotions easily, for her to ask him to warn Vlad spoke volumes.

"What do you want me to do?" He wanted to help his sister, it hadn't been his fault she'd been bitten.

"There might be a legal loophole or something I can use to get Erin away from the Guild and under my protection."

"You're not eighteen yet." Ryan reminded him.

Vlad ran a hand though his hair, "It's all I have. Dad won't have her under his protected and I don't trust Ingrid." He heard the hiss from Ryan at the insult to Ingrid, Vlad silenced him with a vicious look. Ryan froze before forcing his face into a more neutral expression. "You know slayer law, is there something I might be able to do?"

Ryan shook his head, nothing came to his mind.

Vlad's shoulder slumped downwards, Ryan had been a lead that he'd hoped was promising instead it was useless.

"I don't like it but you do know Erin loves you?" Ryan spoke quietly. He didn't approve of his sister choosing a vampire over a human but she'd never opened up to anyone. If she'd even shared a small part of herself with Vlad then he was a lucky man.

"I know," Vlad smiled, "I feel the same way about her." He told Ryan seriously.

"Chosen One or not if you hurt her…" Ryan let his words hang as a warning. He didn't want his sister getting hurt even if their relationship had changed thanks to his bite.

"We've hurt each other enough." Vlad answered and Ryan wasn't sure what to make of Vlad's answer, "I will protect her in any way I have to." He assured Ryan. Ryan knew he was telling the truth as the vampire in front of him had used his powers on them in an attempt to protect Erin.

"Erin doesn't open up about anything." Ryan tried to give him advice, "She's not a killer even though she is a slayer." Vlad nodded he knew that, "Just give her time. Growing up without our parents made her more defensive about herself, she tries to protect herself as much as she can."

"What happened to your parents?" Vlad asked him quietly, he didn't want Ryan to clamp up before he had a chance to tell him.

"They were killed." Ryan gave a small shrug, his heart was now hardened by the bite his emotions weren't as affected by the memory as they had once been. He saw the questioning look on the older vampire's face, "I don't know how. The files were sealed."

Vlad didn't realise the slayers did that. "Does that usually happen with slayings?"

Ryan shrugged, "No." It didn't make sense, why hide the records if they'd been killed. There must have been something else to it.

"Do you remember anything about your parents?" Vlad probed.

"I wouldn't neither would Erin." Ryan seemed confused at the question.

Vlad picked up on choice of words 'wouldn't' rather than 'don't'. 'Wouldn't' implied there was a reason behind it, 'don't' didn't. He needed to find out about Ryan's choice of words.

"Why *wouldn't* you remember?"

Ryan looked at him as if it were obvious. He wasn't as reluctant to talk about them as he knew his sister was. "Because we never even knew them, they were killed when we were born."

Something wasn't right here and Vlad picked up on it immediately. "I thought you were three when you became wards of the Guild."

Ryan shook his head, "We were taken into care when we were born." He really didn't know where Vlad had gotten his information from.

"Erin thinks it's when you were three as well." Vlad was confused, Erin didn't dispute any of what Jonno and Mina had told them.

"Vlad I've seen their graves – we were taken into care two days after we were born. We don't know how they were killed, but they weren't drained."

Ryan seemed positive in everything he said, Vlad found it hard to doubt him.

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Vlad lightly knocked on Erin's door; she opened it knowing who was on the other side, her face split into a wide grin. She beckoned him inside closing the door behind him.

"I went to see Ryan." He told her, he watched as her smile vanished. He promised he'd tell her everything when he returned. "To see if he knew anything that might help us stop the Guild locking you away."

"Did he?"

"No." Vlad spoke softly, "But it doesn't mean there's nothing else out there. I won't let you be locked away without a fight." He promised her. He kissed her forehead lightly. "Erin how old were you and Ryan when your parents were killed?"

"Three." She answered immediately, "Why?"

"Ryan said that they were killed two days after you were born." Erin shook her head to protest. "He's seen your parents' graves."

Erin shook her head she didn't believe that. "We don't know where their graves are, the Guild doesn't know. Ryan can't have seen them." Ryan must have seen someone else's graves.

"He's sure he has and he wasn't lying." He added the second part before she could suggest it was the bite affecting her brother's words.

Erin looked at Vlad; she didn't understand any of it. If Ryan was sure then she couldn't doubt her own brother, which left one option. "Why would they lie to us?"

"I don't know."

It didn't make sense, there was nothing about Erin's parents' deaths that would need to be covered up that Vlad could see.

Either the Guild was wrong or Ryan was.

And Vlad didn't know what to think.

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Ingrid gently knocked on the door to the training room; she heard noises but didn't hear any invitation to enter. She didn't need one this being her home.

"Bertrand?" Ingrid called softly across the room, he didn't even give her a glance as he continued to thrust the long fighting staff in the air in front of him, before twirling it with ease in his fingers and around his body.

Ingrid knew he was giving her a silent message – he'd fight if he needed to.

"Your father has given me a new task." Bertrand snapped at her finally acknowledging her presence. "Spying on your brother."

"It's perfect for our plan…"

"And what plan is that Ingrid?" Bertrand snapped at her. So far the eldest Dracula sibling had nothing. "I'm tired of being in the middle of your family's power struggle. At the moment the only person who isn't after any power is Erin!" He shouted at her. "Although your father doesn't think that." Bertrand muttered before slamming the staff down on the ground with so much force it snapped in half. One half harmlessly dropped to the floor while he threw the other one sharply across the room, as soon as it hit the stone wall it shattered into hundreds of tiny fragments.

"Are you defending the slayer?" Ingrid asked in surprise.

Bertrand hissed at her, making her take a step backwards, "I just don't think she's cares about anything other than him and her brother."

Ingrid tipped her head to one side. "Why is Dad so interested in Vlad?"

"He thinks there's something different about Vlad." Bertrand's words made a shiver creep up her spine. She couldn't explain the feeling but it refused to leave her.

"Do you?" Bertrand couldn't comment, he hadn't really studied Vlad but he was partly afraid to. Vlad had come back more confident but he didn't want to think any more into it because he was afraid of what he might uncover. He noticed Ingrid supressing a shudder; she clearly had the same thought.

If there was something different about Vlad that would make what they were doing even more dangerous than it already was.

Speaking of danger, Ingrid did actually have an answer to Bertrand's first question to her, "I have an idea."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	20. Files

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Please let me know what you think, your reviews really inspire me forwards to correct/add detail and hopefully make each chapter better than the last._

Chapter 20: Files

Erin felt Vlad's hand come to rest on the base of her spine; she smiled at him as he traced small patterns there. The cape slid down pooling at her waist as she lifted herself to look up at him, bracing her hands on his chest.

"I said there wouldn't be any blood this time." Her words were as a matter of fact, as if scolding him for ever doubting her. She had a self-satisfied smirk on her face that grated on his nerves as she said it.

"I just didn't like the thought I'd caused it." He answered with a roll of his eyes. Looking at him she could see that in these moments he was both of her Vlad's rolled into one, he wasn't the evil one or the good one as separate entities he was a mixture of both of them.

"You know most men would have been glad to see it, to know for sure they were my first." Vlad gave her a confused look, "The blood's the reason they used to demand to see the bed sheets the morning after a wedding, to see if the bride was a virgin." She gave him a history lesson. "If the blood was there the bride was a virgin until the wedding night, if not…" She trailed off with a shrug. "Wasn't there ever something like that with vampires?"

"Not really." He answered, "Vampire women don't bleed so checking the coffin would be useless. In high status marriages there used to be a test, they were worried about the bride being pregnant before the wedding night and claiming their children as the heirs they obviously weren't."

Speaking of coffins, "Coffins aren't comfortable." She whispered as she repositioned herself.

He let out a chuckle into her hair, inhaling its scent. "To vampires they are."

"I'm not a vampire." She reminded him; a grin crossed his face as she said that. "What?" She asked, he shook his head. "Tell me."

"Just thinking how much Dad will kill me if he finds out I have you in here." He leaned up and pressed a kiss to her bare collarbone. "You heard what he thinks about us." He reached up and pulled the bandage from her arm, letting it breathe in the air with his free hand before letting it join the other one at the base of her back.

Erin suddenly sobered, "What will he do if he finds out?"

"Send me back to Transylvania. He's still Regent for another three months." His father had the authority to do what he wanted with him.

"He'll split us up."

It was worse than that, "He'll drain you." The Count would even do it front of him to teach him a lesson.

"You could bite me and stop him from doing that." She shrugged lightly, trying to find something positive they could do. She felt him freeze completely.

"You don't want that." He bought his hand from her back, trailing slowly over her bare skin making her shiver all the way up to her cheek, "You're terrified of being one of us. I can see it in your eyes."

"I don't want to hurt anyone." She answered, looking down. "I've hurt you – both of you – enough by being mortal, if you bite me I'll change like Ryan…"

"You wouldn't because you'd be ready for it, but you would be loyal to me." He conceded, he didn't want her to be loyal to him. He wanted her to have her own free will, something she clearly knew she'd lose if he bit her.

"Can I ask you something?" Erin spoke softly, not wanting to startle him. Vlad nodded, "You don't have to answer." She didn't want him getting angry with her because her curiosity got the better of her so she wanted him to know that it was his choice. She took a breath before answering, "What was it like in the mirror?"

He blinked slowly and Erin wished she hadn't asked, he clearly didn't know what to say.

"A prison." He answered after a few more moments of silence, "The only way you can escape is when you face your flesh body faces it. There's a link that strengthened when you get closer. Vlad only absorbed one reflection he didn't know there were more of us in there." He honestly didn't blame Vlad for leaving him in there; Vlad could never have known there were more reflections in there.

"Were you on your own for long?"

He shrugged her question off as if it was like water on a duck's back. "I was amongst nine hundred and ninety eight other reflections, I wasn't lonely."

"But you didn't talk to them or have anything to do with them." Erin guessed, she could tell in his mannerisms the days he emerged from the mirror.

"Erin I'm out of there now and I'm never going back." He answered defensively.

"Can you go back?" She was curious.

He narrowed his gaze at her, "No." To his surprise she lowered her head back down to his chest. She didn't seem disappointed she was obviously just curious. He was glad he managed to stop himself from becoming too defensive.

"You okay?" He asked her quietly after a few minutes silence.

"About what?" She feigned ignorance.

Vlad tried not to roll his eyes, he stoked her arm gently. "About what Ryan said, seeing you parents' graves?"

"Yeah, fine." She muttered before kissing his chest lightly.

Vlad could hear her uncertainty but he wasn't going to push her, he didn't want an argument.

Yet.

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Vlad sat himself down in the quiet cafeteria, Erin sat close to him at the table. It was strange being in here, usually they ate in the Dracula quarters but they wanted privacy from the other vampires. There were a few people milling around but not enough so they lost their privacy. It was one of the perks of being in the sixth form – early lunches.

Erin reached for the files that were securely inside her bag, she'd left them in her locker as she didn't trust the other vampires to look through her room again. She quickly unfastened the zip and passed them to Vlad. He could read quicker than her and they weren't exactly on dyslexic friendly paper for her. This would be the first time they actually had chance to look at the files since Jonno and Mina had asked them to read them. Erin still felt uneasy about them asking her and Vlad to read them.

Vlad rested his arm on the back of her chair, Erin leaned into him a fraction subconsciously as he began to read the files.

Vlad let out a sudden hiss and she watched as his fangs shot down, his top lip protruding as evidence of his true nature.

For him to react like that she knew it wasn't good, "What is it?"

"The files are all about one thing." He spat out in disgust, holding them felt as if he was condoning their actions so he threw them on the table. He debated whether or not to set them alight but he shook his head, he might need them in the future.

Erin watched as his jaw clenched and his fists tightened, if he were mortal all the blood would have drained from his face. This Vlad would react stronger to the emotions coursing through him, she didn't want him to reveal himself to the people in the quiet canteen.

Erin spoke softly, trying to get him to open up. "What are they about?"

"They wanted to study a half vampire, half human child. See if the thirst for blood could be bred out of them." He flipped through the pages, "If that didn't work they'd try and find a way to remove our abilities to make us more vulnerable.

A thought crossed Erin's mind, one she hadn't thought of before, they knew of her relationship with Vlad. The Guild had been very interested in it. "Is there a chance I could become pregnant?"

Vlad saw the fear in her eyes. "No." He answered full of conviction.

She wasn't convinced, "Not even the smallest…"

"It's impossible." Vlad told her, staring at the files he couldn't find the courage in him too look up into her eyes. It was something she had to know if she wanted a future with him. She would be entering a childless relationship. "Our DNA is too different Erin, and unless I bite you, there's no way you could ever become pregnant."

Erin's eyes began to glisten and she felt foolish for thinking about the future. She was thinking eight or nine years down the line if they were still together – something she hoped for. Her parents had found each other young – sixteen – she'd been told that much about them and they'd apparently been very happy. She hoped the same for her and Vlad. "So I could never have your children?"

"I'm sorry." He whispered, seeing the way her face fell. Erin swiped at her eyes, feeling treacherous tears forming. He didn't care about other people in the canteen he just pulled her into his arms.

Erin let out a hiccup. "I'm being stupid." She muttered into his jumper. She felt his hands rubbing her back in a soothing circular motion.

"You're not." He answered; it wasn't stupid for her to react like this after entering a relationship with him and find out that unless she gave up her life she couldn't be a mother.

"Its years off and…" She hiccupped again; he pulled her tighter to him, feeling her tears seeping through his shirt.

He rocked her lightly, "I love you." He told her, "You can still leave me at any time." He didn't want to lose her but he'd understand if she wanted to end it before she became any deeper involved although the only next step he could see in terms of involvement would be engagement and neither of them were ready for that.

Erin pulled back from him sharply, swiping at the mascara that had run down her cheeks, "I'm not leaving you over this, I won't!" She practically bit his head off.

"Erin your future…"

"Is in front of me." She poked him in the chest to stress her point. "I love you Vlad and I'm overreacting about it." He opened his mouth to protest but she shook her head, "Things can change, maybe you're wrong about it."

"I'm not." He told her, he didn't want her clinging to false hope. "It's been tried – it's impossible."

"The slayers don't think so." She gestured to the still open files.

"It's on paper; things on paper don't always turn out the way their supposed to or even work." That was common knowledge. Erin gave him the glare that made him feel nervous, she was the only person who could do that. Vlad decided to compromise, "We'll never know for certain if we don't find out more about this, a couple of files mean nothing there must be data and test somewhere else, Jonno and Mina will have access to it."

Erin nodded, their argument didn't matter if they didn't find out more about what the Guild had intended for such a child.

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Vlad sat up straighter as he heard a hesitant knocking on his door. He closed his book and made his way towards it. He opened his door slowly to reveal Erin hovering there, bouncing slightly from foot to foot. She was wearing her tracksuit meaning that she was trying to sleep before making sense of everything she'd been told in the last twenty four hours.

Erin looked nervous as she stared up at him. He'd thought it was best if he left her alone while she fully digested the information he'd given her. "I can't sleep." She spoke quietly. He moved out of the way of the door to let her inside his room.

She slowly pushed past him, he was a little confused at her behaviour, usually she was more confident coming into his room. He closed the door soundlessly if not for the click as the door slipped into its latch. He turned around to see her sitting down on his couch, he crouched down in front of her. He rested his hands on her thighs.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, her silence worrying him. She didn't seem her normal self, even when she was upset she never acted like this.

"Will you do something for me?" Her voice was barely more than a breath of wind.

"Anything." His eyes held his promise, "You know that."

Erin looked down at the old floorboards before looking back up at him, unsure how exactly to ask this of him but she knew she had to.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	21. Eavesdropping

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

Chapter 21: Eavesdropping

Erin shuffled under Vlad's gaze.

A sense of dread filled him and he hoped she wasn't going to ask for the one thing he never wanted to give her. He hoped their conversation about children hadn't played on her mind.

"Please tell me you're not asking me to bite you." He spoke, his voice hoarse. He couldn't do that to her, he couldn't kill her. If he bit her he wasn't sure he could live with himself.

Erin shook her head and she watched the relief cover her face.

"I need to see if Ryan's right. Will you take me to see my parents' graves?"

Vlad stepped forward, cupping her chin and lifting it upwards. "You know I will." He caressed the skin, "But Ryan will have to take us there." He didn't know where the stones were, they needed someone who'd seen them to take them there otherwise they'd never find them until daybreak. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah. I just want to know the truth Vlad."

He kissed her forehead lightly, "I promise I'll help you find it."

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Ingrid tried not to quiver as she stared the two malicious vampires down. They clearly didn't like being summoned from the aggressive postures they both held as they looked at her.

"We're getting impatient Ingrid." Hagar spat at her, "We want to know how you're planning on dealing with your brother." It had been long enough and they weren't going to wait forever.

"I'm just checking everything's in place." She answered, throwing Bertrand a look. He hadn't been too thrilled with this idea of hers.

"What's your plan then?

"We get rid of the Count and Vlad needs a new Regent." Ingrid smiled at them. The pair looked at each other warily. This wasn't the kind of plan they'd expected from her. It was… bland. For all her talk on wanting power this was a bit of a disappointment, they expected something more elaborate. "The simplest plans are the best." She answered automatically knowing what they were thinking; she'd known people like them all her life, "Simple plans work."

"And you're the only one of age to be Regent?" Hagar scoffed, laughing loudly. Ingrid ground her teeth, she hated being laughed at. "What about your mother?" He remembered something about Magda trying to become Regent from one of their sources.

Ingrid had thought of that. "The only way mum can be Regent is if Vlad asks her like last time. She's not a Dracula so she can't become one any other way."

"How will this help you become Grand High Vampire?" Hagar asked her curiously, he couldn't understand the role it played.

She slipped on a smug smile, "When I'm in charge I can sign my little brother's execution order."

"What if he finds out what you're up to?" Nikos asked her, it was a very real possibility.

"Then we fight him every step of the way." She answered automatically, "Vlad's not that bright, he won't suspect a thing." She hoped he didn't before she told him herself.

Nikos and Hagar looked at each other, "We need to run this past Ramanga."

Ingrid nodded and before she could even finish nodding they'd vanished. That gave her a day or two at least to think of ways to try and sort this out more satisfactorily.

Bertrand shook his head, even when Ingrid had told him the plan hours ago he couldn't believe it. Her having told Nikos and Hagar only made it more unbelievable.

"You made a promise to Vlad." Bertrand reminded her, "Getting along as a family for the next one hundred years."

"I never made that promise, Dad did." She reminded him, it was her loophole, a very small one but it was there nonetheless.

Bertrand wished she'd think ahead for once, "How do you think Vlad will react to you trying to kill the Count?"

"If I don't do it then he won't know it's me. It might not even get that far." She told him seriously.

"So you're planning to stall?" Bertrand asked her in confusion.

"I can't stall." Ingrid hissed at him, her stalling would alert them to what she was up to.

"Then how are you going to stop your father being killed?" Bertrand hissed at her, "If you succeed and Vlad finds out he will kill you."

"If I don't do anything Ramanga will kill all of us." She told him, she knew the other vampire would do it.

"How are you planning to kill him? The Count's hidden all of the slaying equipment he's collected."

"Erin still has her equipment…"

Bertrand saw the flaw in that plan immediately, "Vlad will never believe that Erin killed the Count."

Ingrid wasn't that stupid, no one would believe that Erin had killed him. "Her equipment in unmarked. That means it won't be traced back to her." Although the missing equipment might be but she ignored that for now.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"I do. Trust me."

Trust wasn't exactly something they were both good at.

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Vlad followed Ryan, speeding close behind him before coming to a halt with Erin on the thick grassy ground. He looked down at her, her eyes still tightly closed.

He hadn't bothered wearing his leathers; he wore his usual jeans, shirt and leather jacket. He didn't want to draw anyone's attention by wearing a full cape and vampire regalia.

"We're here." He breathed into her ear. Her eyes snapped open to gaze on her surroundings. He gave a relieved closing of his eyes as he saw that her skin was its usual pink. She really was getting the hang of his flying and speeding her about.

Erin nodded and stepped back from him, she still clutched at his hand. "Where is it?" She asked her brother quietly, as if she was afraid to wake those slumbering in the graveyard.

"Over there." Ryan gestured to a cluster of trees, in between the trees headstones peeked out in the slithers of moonlight that managed to creep between the thick branches.

"They're not in a large area." Ryan told her, Erin gave him a confused look. "They were cremated remember." Erin nodded. All slayers were cremated, it helped squash the belief that they could return as vampires if they were drained, as it might be a delayed reaction. Even though they hadn't been drained it was still tradition to cremate them.

Ryan guided them over the ground. Erin took care to avoid any dips or holes in the grass, Ryan and Vlad could see them but she couldn't. She felt the damp seeping into her canvas converse.

As they reached the wooded area, Ryan gestured for her to stand in front of one of the stones towards the back of those placed there. It stood near an old wall, it wasn't a high wall perhaps only five foot high but it only served to decrease the amount of light in the area.

Erin looked to Vlad, her nerves getting the best of her, but he untangled their fingers. "I'm not family. I should stay here." He gave her an encouraging smile.

"I want you there. Please Vlad." She begged him. Vlad didn't think he'd be welcome at their grave, not when he stood for everything they'd fought against. Vlad looked up at Ryan and he nodded, if his sister wanted him there then Vlad would be welcome there.

"I can't see anything." She whispered, she'd hoped the moonlight would let her see something but the stone was below a large branch that obscured any light casting a shadow over the entire area.

Vlad opened his palm and summoned a fireball to hover in his outstretched hand. Ryan watched as the fireball grew and grew to the size of a small football. It remained in his hand as he brought it closer to Erin and the stone she stood in front.

As the fireball increased the light, bathing the area in a soft orange glow Erin saw the black marble stone for the first time.

Erin reached down and placed a shaking hand over the stone, she traced the gold filled engravings.

William Michael Noble and Emily Julie Noble.

There was no other inscription on the stone just a date.

Erin yanked her arm from the stone as if a jolt of electricity had hit her. She fell backwards, the sudden movement catching her off guard and she toppled onto the damp grass.

"What's wrong?"

"Ryan's right, they died in 1994. Two days after we were born." She looked up at Vlad, tears glistening in her eyes. "Why did they lie to us?"

"I don't think Jonno and Mina knew." Vlad told her in a comforting manner; no matter which side he was he knew not to falsely say they'd lied. He wouldn't lie to Erin, he couldn't now he wanted to have an open and honest relationship with her.

Thinking of Jonno and Mina he still hadn't told his family why they'd been taken and to tell the truth he wasn't sure he wanted to. It didn't seem as important as it once had.

"For years I was told they died when we were three." Her voice was choked with sobs,

"Maybe they were trying to make it seem like they had a chance to know us." Ryan told his sister gently, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Erin was surprised at her brother's gentle behaviour when he'd so publicly shook her from him when Vlad had confronted Ingrid. She didn't like his sudden change and stepped out of his loose embrace and into Vlad's chest. He wrapped his arms around her not expecting her to choose his embrace over her brother. The fireball died in his hands, casting them into complete darkness once again.

"Take me home." She asked him,

"Are you sure?" He wasn't convinced she'd dealt with everything that she needed to.

"I'm sure, take me home. Please."

Vlad looked at Ryan but the other Noble nodded. "I'll see you back at the school." Vlad told him before vanishing into the air, his main concern being to get Erin home as quickly as possible.

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Ingrid held onto the slaying equipment tightly, checking it over to make sure it was secure as she pulled Erin's door to a close behind her. Erin really should have found another hiding place than the floorboard but then again she probably thought it was better for her to keep it where Vlad knew it would be, he could check on it at any time.

She only hoped that he didn't as her and Bertrand would be suspects as they were the only people who knew where it was. She hoped that she could return the slaying gear before it was ever missed regardless of whether she succeeded in slaying the Count or not.

The eldest Dracula sibling was closing the door behind her when she heard the noise.

Footsteps coming closer and closer, they echoed off the walls leaving her in no doubt as to where they were. She began to panic there was only one corridor, it was a long one at that. She wouldn't escape being unseen.

As the footsteps grew louder there was only one thing she could do – she darted back into the room.

She pressed her ear to the door, eavesdropping on the conversation praying that Erin wouldn't come into her room. If she tried to leave through the window one of them would hear her opening it. She didn't know if Erin had opened her window, she doubted it with it still being winter either way she couldn't chance it juddering and creaking as she opened it.

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They reached their rooms in silence. Erin hadn't spoken since visiting the graveyard and it was beginning to scare him.

Erin reached up and kissed his cheek, "Night." She whispered.

She wasn't getting away that easily.

Vlad gently wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's waist pulling her to him. He turned her slowly in his embrace, lifting his right hand up to caress her cheek.

"Stay with me tonight."

Erin shook her head, "Vlad…"

"Just to sleep, nothing more." Vlad told her quietly, he wouldn't even dream of them making love while she was upset. "I want to know you're okay." He'd feel more comfortable knowing that she was in his arms if she needed him.

Erin didn't want him to see her like this, she didn't like appearing weak in front of this version of him even though she'd soaked his shirt the previous day. "I'm fine."

"Erin please don't lie to me." Vlad told her firmly, "I can see right through you. You know better than to hide from me."

"Don't be a hypocrite." Erin muttered, she forgot that Vlad would hear her every word. Her eyes snapped to his guiltily.

Vlad's eyes darkened before answering. "Erin…" He dragged out slowly, "You know why I have to hide who I am."

She nodded, closing her eyes, "I'm sorry." She wrung her hands, "I don't know why I said that."

"I do." He answered quietly, she was telling the truth when she said it. "I love you and that means I get to help you through these kinds of things."

Erin let out a small laugh, completely confusing him and hurting him as she hadn't expected that reaction to his words. "Sorry," She whispered, "I was just remembering my Vlad helping me through Ryan's biting even though he thought it was me at the time." She watched as he looked down, her words unintentionally stinging him, "But you're my Vlad too." She reminded him, she referred to the other Vlad as 'my Vlad' because she didn't dare refer to him as the real Vlad. They were both real.

The line between the two of them had blurred completely now for her, when she was with him there was no distinction between the two of them.

Vlad took her hand and pulled on her arm gently as he pushed his door open. "I don't want us to do anything tonight," He told her softly, "I just want to know you're okay. You don't have to say anything, I just don't want to leave you on your own tonight."

Erin nodded, "I love you." She told him, overwhelmed at his words.

He cupped her neck and kissed it lightly making her shiver before looping his hands around her waist and pulling her inside. "Come on."

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Ingrid stepped back away from the door as Erin's words hit home. They didn't make sense at first but when they did terror gripped her.

All she knew was that she had to get out of there before Vlad found her.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	22. Hide

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'm not sure how many chapters this is going to be yet but does anyone have a limit they want me to go to or do you want me just keep going and reach the end no matter how many chapters it might be?_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 22: Hide

The blood cellar was quiet but not silent. Mice scurried back and forth in the dust leaving mazes across the floor. Wind whistled through the dark basement leaving a chill that could only be felt by mortals.

Bertrand turned realising that someone was behind him almost immediately. He expected to see the Count but instead he saw the eldest Dracula sibling.

He hadn't noticed her entering so she'd been there a while. He looked at the dust that covered her, she'd been sitting in the grey dust. White cobwebs clung to her.

"Why are you in here?" He asked quietly, not understanding why she didn't have any bottles of blood or even a goblet beside her.

"It's the one place Vlad won't come." She murmured, looking down. Bertrand took her words to mean something different.

"He doesn't know what you're up to Ingrid, he isn't even suspicious. You can't have this as your new headquarters." He told her firmly. Ingrid didn't say a word to his answers, instead she shook.

Bertrand felt concern filling him, something that hadn't filled him for centuries. He lowered himself down to crouch in front of her. He reached out and touched her shoulder, Ingrid jumped startled at the contact. Bertrand had never touched her like that before; in fact she'd never seen him initiate contact that wasn't aggressive. She was sure he'd think her weak.

"Ingrid?" His voice was soft as he spoke, he didn't hold any malice in it. He seemed genuinely worried by her reaction.

She looked up at him, her eyes desperate. "It's not Vlad."

"Then what's wrong?"

"No," She whispered, shaking her head. He didn't understand, "It's *not* Vlad." She repeated. The Vlad living with them at the moment wasn't the Vlad she'd grown up with, it was the one who was terrifying and merciless. "Not the Vlad we know anyway."

Ingrid was terrified at what she'd learned, the thought of what he could do to her before compared to who he was now was enough to make her want to turn to ash. He was biding his time, she knew that. This side of him couldn't forgive easily, while he'd forgiven Erin she'd never tried to force a stake through his heart when she'd found out who he was unlike her. Erin was an idiot for hiding it from them unless she thought she could change him.

Evil couldn't be changed, she knew that better than anyone.

Bertrand tried to make her realise that she couldn't have seen what she thought she'd heard. "If it wasn't the Vlad we know then he would have killed us all by now." His reflection wouldn't stand for any of them, besides when had he had a chance to emerge? Vlad hadn't given him control and there were no signs of him ever taking over. Ingrid must have been more mistaken.

As he thought that doubt began to pull at the back of his mind. The Count had asked him to find out what was wrong with Vlad, Vlad had been acting strangely lately. He was far more confrontational but he'd chalked it down to Erin leaving and returning. A broken heart although the though sickened him.

"I heard him tell Erin, she knows."

Erin would be the one to know, Ingrid shuddered at the thought of them sleeping together even though she knew. Erin didn't seem fazed at all by it. She wanted to know how long Erin had known.

He needed more information if he was going to let his doubts settle and grow in his mind. "Where were you when you heard it?"

"In her room, hiding behind her door. I heard them coming and I hid." She saw his look and answered before he could comment, "It was stupid but it was an instinct."

"So you don't know what you heard." He was trying to get her to realise she'd made a mistake.

Ingrid wasn't going to let her try and talk her out of something she knew she'd seen. "She spoke about both sides of him. She referred to my brother in the past, the reflection was in front of her. I know what I heard Bertrand." Erin knew exactly who she was in a relationship with.

"She knows?" Bertrand couldn't understand it, Erin knew better than to keep Vlad's identity hidden. He'd tried to bite her twice, she should have told them. "Why hasn't she said anything?" Ingrid shrugged she couldn't answer that one either.

"What are we going to do?" Ingrid asked him quietly. "Do we tell Dad?" She honestly didn't know how to deal with this side of him, the one person who did was on his side at the moment. Ingrid couldn't understand why Erin was going along with him when she loved the real Vlad.

"No, he'll only make things worse." Bertrand answered, he suspected that the Count had tipped Vlad over the edge when he'd fang cuffed him to the chair and tried to blackmail him. His temper was much shorter when his reflection took over.

"I can't tell him when this side of him is present." She spat quickly, she couldn't risk her unlife. "What are we going to do?" She repeated, they couldn't leave her brother like this. It was far too dangerous to do so.

Bertrand stood and turned away sharply, her eyes followed him hoping he had the answer. "There's only one thing we can do."

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Erin rubbed her eyes as she slowly opened them, despite her rest she was feeling more tired than she had before. She felt something against her back and smiled, Vlad was spooned against her, his chin resting on her shoulder comfortable. She turned in his arms, cursing silently as her shirt pulled across her as it caught and tugged at her skin, to see Vlad sleeping peacefully next to her on the couch. Her muscles were sore and tired; the couch really wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep. She sat up slowly, the cape which had been perched on her sliding to the floor.

The cape had become a ritual for them now.

Erin stroked his fringe from his eyes, she smiled as he moved towards her caring touch. She ran her a hand through his hair lightly. She liked playing with his hair. The silkiness and thickness of it fascinated her.

Vlad mumbled something making her smile. He seemed so much younger when he slept, he didn't have to worry about anything. She glanced around the room, he'd need to drink soon, he'd used a lot of energy flying. She pulled away from him and reached up to his top shelf. She searched around before finding what she wanted and grasping the cool bottle between her fingers.

Once she was sure she had it she pulled it from the shelf. Her heart skipped a beat as it chinked against the next shelf down hard enough to smash. She was thankful that it didn't.

She didn't want to wake him but she had to, she stroked his cheek before kissing him lightly. He still didn't move so she undid the top buttons on his shirt and placed her warm hands there. It had the same effect on him as trailing cold hands across her stomach had for her.

His eyes slowly fluttered open, sweeping the room before coming to rest on her.

"Hey." He whispered, leaning up to kiss her lightly before shifting his weight so he could sit up. "You okay?" He asked as he accepted the bottle from her, drinking deeply feeling the benefits of the soy blood almost immediately.

Erin rested her head on his shoulder, "Thank you for coming last night."

He kissed her hair lightly, "I wanted to be there."

"No one's ever been there for me before other than Ryan." She traced a pattern high on his thigh, making his leg suddenly jump. He grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together before the sensations could affect him anymore.

"I've never been to a graveyard before." He shrugged, it was an experience. Somehow it had felt peaceful though, he couldn't explain it though.

"They didn't even give them an inscription." Erin whispered to him.

Vlad gave her a confused look, "I don't understand."

"When a slayer dies on their headstone is an inscription that links to them being a slayer so other slayers can identify their graves." She looked at him, "They didn't give them one."

"Maybe they weren't buried by slayers." He offered, they might have been buried by other members of their family.

Erin shook her head, she knew that wasn't true, "If we were taken into care then there was no one else. No slayer has ever been buried without an inscription."

"Unless it's something to do with how they died." He knew Erin wasn't going to say it so he did it for her.

Her voice dropped low, "Maybe."

He turned her face to look at him, "I promise I will do anything it takes to find out the truth." If it affected her, it affected him. He didn't like the thought that slayers were keeping secrets from their own kind and from two people who had more right to know the truth than anyone else.

"It could be a paperwork error." She shrugged; she was scared of what she might uncover. Vlad placed the now empty bottle on the ground.

"We'll find out together." He promised her, they did things as a team now. It surprised him to discover that but he didn't want to change it.

He pulled her back down on top of him, this time he propped his head on the arm rest. Erin gave a small sigh and closed her eyes once again. She felt him tracing clan badges on her skin, it soothed her while she thought everything over in her mind.

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She left his room with a smile, Vlad leaned against the frame. "Thank you for listening to me." She told him stroking his neck. He closed his eyes at her gesture only making her grin wider.

"Always," He answered his eyes still closed.

She cupped his cheek, stroking it lightly. She smiled as a thought rushed through her head.

He sensed the smile and was curious, his eyes snapped open. "What?"

She shook her head, shaking his question off. "It's something stupid."

"What were you thinking?" He asked his lips quirking upwards. He was curious now and he wanted to know.

Erin looked at him, she could see the determination in his eyes. He wouldn't let her go until she answered him. She felt slightly embarrassed. "You really are different when you're with me. It's in your eyes, you're not trying to hurt me or predict what everyone else is doing or are even up to anything, you're just yourself with me. Both of you, working together. You don't fight each other. It's the only time you don't fight."

He smiled softly at her, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to her lips before letting their foreheads meet and closing his eyes focussing his thoughts solely on her. "Because I don't have to pretend with you." He answered, "I don't have to be evil or good I can just be Vlad. You know how to handle me if I slip so I don't worry as much. We both love you so it's not so hard."

She closed her eyes relishing his words and their affectionate contact. "I love you both too. I'm just glad you don't have to hide anything from me anymore,"

"But you still have to hide from everyone else." A new voice interrupted them making them both jump.

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Erin and Vlad turned around slowly to see Bertrand and Ingrid watching them down the corridor. Bertrand stood beside Ingrid. Ingrid trembled as she looked at her brother. Erin looked between them all and prayed that this wasn't what she'd been dreading all along.

"Your father thought she'd changed you but that's not it is it?" He looked Vlad up and down, Vlad had straightened his posture. He never did that. He'd never noticed it before. He couldn't believe the signs he'd missed.

"I don't know what you mean." He spoke, blinking as he studied them trying to look innocent.

Bertrand was the only one confident enough to act. He sped behind Vlad, gripping his right arm and twisting it sharply behind Vlad's back with enough force to break it or dislocate it if he twisted it a fraction more. Vlad winced and crashed to the ground, the floorboards bending as his knees impacted against them.

Erin shot forwards but Bertrand pushed her back, he didn't use as much force as she expected but she still fell to the floor, she slid backwards on the floorboards. Whether he'd pushed her out of protection for himself or her she didn't know. Either way it was the wrong thing to do in front of the youngest vampire.

Bertrand spoke in a short sharp statement to reflect the urgency of his words.

Although to who they were directed was a mystery.

"How do we get the real Vlad back?"

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Does anyone have a limit they want me to go to or do you want me just keep going and reach the end no matter how many chapters it might be?_

_Thanks for reading._


	23. Bind

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Just letting you know, I *will* be posting tomorrow but I'm not sure when. My friends are taking me somewhere for the day but I will be scribbling my next chapters down on paper on the way there and back so they will be ready to be typed and posted when I get home._

Chapter 23: Bind

Bertrand's words echoed down the corridor. No one could answer him, he looked at Ingrid in particular who shrugged.

By looking at Ingrid he had taken his eyes off Vlad, something he'd constantly told Vlad not to do.

Vlad saw his chance, he ignored the pain in his arm to break free from the older vampire.

Vlad reacted spinning around and shoving Bertrand backwards with his left arm. Bertrand flew down the corridor. Smashing clean through Erin's door.

Erin followed Bertrand with her eyes as did Ingrid.

Vlad stood sharply, feeling sick. He moved his arm and felt it click back into place, Bertrand had wrenched it, the nausea still lingering but it would do.

He advanced on his sister a fireball forming in his hand. He wasn't offering mercy. She didn't deserve it for what she'd done to him.

He threw it towards Ingrid, Ingrid closed her eyes waiting for the end.

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Erin grabbed his arm, "Vlad, no." The fireball froze in mid-air.

Ingrid cautiously opened her eyes wondering why she hadn't been hit.

His eyes were black as he turned to look at her. "This doesn't concern you slayer." She narrowed her eyes but that was the only indication that she was offended at his words.

Ingrid looked at her expecting Erin to back down instead she confronted him again, "I said NO Vlad."

"He won't do it." Ingrid tried, unable to stop herself.

"Leave him alone." Erin ground out.

Ingrid seemed to focus her attention on Erin, angry at her defending Vlad. "You knew who he was! You betrayed us again slayer!" Erin tried to move across the room before realising that it wasn't such a good idea. "How can you even…" Ingrid trailed off shuddering, it was bad enough bringing up her brother's love life but thinking of Erin being with this side of him was enough to make her feel sick. "You hid him from us." She looked Vlad in the eye, "You're going back in the mirror."

To her surprise he laughed, "This is priceless." He grinned unable to contain his laughter, his chest still rising and falling. Erin gave him a questioning look, she knew he couldn't go back in but she didn't know why. "You can't separate me from Vlad." He sneered, he wished he could just reach out of the cage and drag them forwards towards him.

"Why not?" Ingrid asked quietly.

"We've been in one body for too long. Separating us now would kill both of us."

Erin now understood what Vlad had meant when he said he couldn't go back in the mirror.

During the conversation they had forgotten about Bertrand. Vlad was knocked to one side and through the wall, bricks piling down around him, caking him in dust.

Vlad had lost control of the fireball the moment he was tackled. Ingrid ducked; she felt it singe her hair.

Bertrand tried to hit Vlad's chest, his pupil's movements were sluggish but he was still stronger. Bertrand realised in that moment that Vlad had been holding back, he'd come back stronger than he'd realised. Vlad brought his knee up and thrust it upwards into Bertrand's chest. Bertrand flew upwards and towards the ceiling.

Vlad rolled and made his way towards Erin but not before stumbling as his vision blurred suddenly.

That was all Bertrand needed.

Vlad suddenly found himself being grabbed and dragged from the corridor as fast as he could. Ingrid saw her chance and grabbed Erin.

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Vlad found himself being thrown into the argentalium cage in the centre of the room. He let out a hiss as he hit the back of it. He caught Erin as she was thrown in next to him, clearly they didn't want to chance tying her up with ropes again.

Ingrid threw something in with them – his cape. Vlad didn't understand why she'd given them that.

"In case Erin gets cold and to remind her which side she's supposed to be on." Ingrid snapped at the former slayer.

Vlad let out a sigh, "Erin doesn't switch sides as often as you Ingrid." Vlad spat at his sister. "Surprised you haven't killed Dad yet to get more power." He spoke and Ingrid felt herself turning colder – something she never thought possible.

Bertrand nudged her imperceptivity; Vlad was winding her up there was no possible way he could know the truth. She couldn't let it show that it had affected her.

"How long have you been back?"

"I never left." He answered with a smirk. Bertrand and Ingrid froze as they took it all in. No wonder Vlad was more confident he hadn't been the Vlad they knew all along.

Bertrand looked at Erin, "When did you find out?"

"Unlike you, Erin actually loves me." Erin heard his voice crack as he said that. "She knew the minute she saw me." She could feel his raw pain, no one else had noticed. She watched the way he furiously blinked, she knew he was trying to hold back any tears to prevent them from falling. His voice hardened to ice, "You would never have even noticed if you hadn't eavesdropped."

Ingrid looked down and Bertrand looked away ashamed at never even noticing. Erin laced her fingers with Vlad's.

He didn't know how he felt in that moment. Conflicting emotions filled him, he was glad he'd managed to hide who he was but no one had even noticed him. They were supposed to be his family, know him better than anyone but they hadn't even noticed his confidence.

"Why did you tell anyone?" Bertrand asked Erin, he wanted to know why she'd been putting everyone's lives at risk.

"Because I knew you would do this to him. You'd kill him."

Ingrid shot an arm out towards her brother. "He's dangerous Erin!"

Erin shook her head, "Not to me, he can't trust people and you haven't given him a reason to trust you,"

Ingrid looked at her brother who was narrowing his gaze at her through hooded eyes. "You tried to kill me, you threw me into the sunlight!"

Vlad tipped his head, a smug grin covering his face, "I wouldn't have touched you if you hadn't tried to stake me and I wouldn't have touched Dad if he hadn't tried to blackmail me."

"What about Erin?" Ingrid asked him, gesturing to his girlfriend. Erin's eyes narrowed and she hoped that he'd not snap at her words.

Vlad's smiled deepened into a genuine one as he looked at her. "Actually I tried to bite her, she didn't do anything to me." His grin changed back as he glanced at Ingrid, "And I don't forgive easily."

"We will get Vlad back." Ingrid told him sternly.

He laughed at that. His laughter echoing around the walls, going right through them. Erin looked down, Ingrid noticed. "How could you betray Vlad like that?"

"You won't understand." Erin answered, they wouldn't. They could only see this side of him. Erin had given him a chance and she loved him, or course there were time she'd hated this side of him but underneath it all he was still the Vlad she loved.

"Try us." Bertrand spoke slowly and deliberately.

Erin looked at Vlad, she didn't take her gaze from his. "Because when I'm with him he isn't one or the other. He isn't good or evil, he's just Vlad. The person you all stop him from being, he doesn't argue with himself and hate himself. He has a choice; he's not forced into anything. He isn't bitter. Every action he's taken is because you worked against him in the first place."

Even Zoltan had insulted him and he'd snapped. He'd been sarcastic to a suggestion Vlad had made and he was tired of being put down, that's why he'd twisted his neck around.

"What are you going to do to him?" Erin asked softly, she gripped his hand tighter.

"Renfield's the best person to ask."

She felt Vlad freeze, she saw terror in his eyes. "You'll bind me." He whispered.

Ingrid nodded while Erin looked between them, "What's a 'bind'?"

No one answered her, they didn't have the courage to do so. Only Vlad did. "They'll force me into a prison. The smallest part of Vlad's mind. I'll be nothing more than an echo. We'll be paralysed. This body will spasm uncontrollably as they do it, Vlad will be safer to be around but we won't be able to walk again. The spasms will break our back. The nerves won't repair." Even vampires had limits to their healing abilities.

It was a bind in more than one way. He would be bound in Vlad's mind and Vlad would be bound to a chair, both of them would be bound in a prison.

She felt sick at the thought of them doing this to him. "You can't!" Erin cried at them. Ingrid couldn't do this to her brother.

Ingrid looked down. She should be ashamed of herself.

"We haven't got any choice!" Bertrand snapped at her, "If you'd told us from the start we might have been able to do something."

Ingrid looked at her brother with remorse, "Renfield's ready to bind you, you'll have an hour to get ready."

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As soon as they left the room, Vlad pressed his forehead to the cool bars. He didn't feel the temperature of them but it was nice to pretend. He felt bile rising in his throat so he gulped in an effort to remain in control of his stomach.

"Are you okay?" Erin asked him seeing the way he gulped.

"The argentalium's making me feel sick." He gave her a half smile, "It's the smell of the garlic in the metal."

Erin nodded, she knew that feeling cinnamon and cheap perfume made her feel the same way although for Vlad it must be worse because he had a stronger sense of smell than her. They needed to get out of there before Vlad felt even worse.

"I tried to file through the lock." Erin offered with a shrug, "Didn't work." She'd broken the file before she'd even managed to scratch the surface of the lock.

"It's argentalium the strongest metal in the world." Vlad hissed at her, Erin knew that but there was always hope.

"Can't you pick the lock like you did with the cuffs?"

He shrugged, this was the only time he wasn't prepared. "I haven't got anything to pick it with."

Erin looked around trying to see if there was anything that they could use, but being dangled a metre off the ground made. "What about the clasp on your cape?" She asked looking at the solid gold hook that held would usually hold the cape closed.

"Too thick, it needs to be something thinner." He searched through his pockets, looking for something to use – just in case he'd forgotten something. He couldn't find anything. Erin glanced around, she didn't have anything on her that could be used. She didn't carry anything metal around with her. The only things she had were her earrings and they would be far too small to use.

Then she realised she actually did have something metal on her.

"I think I have got something."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	24. Dizzy

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Please let me know what you think…_

_I feel I owe people an explanation of why I'm so protective of my stories (I've had a bit of a full inbox over the last four hours as everyone is terrified how I'll react to something that's been said)…_

_Last year I had an interview where I had to plan a lesson involving a unique story for a class to recount as a drama. I was told that my story was awful so I didn't get the job._

_A month later I was sent to supply in the same school and found out that they had used my story lesson and it had been rated by OfSted as an outstanding lesson, the story being highlighted as 'engaging and imaginative'. It didn't go down well when I produced the master on my memory stick. It was stolen from me for someone else to be praised and the teacher who used it wasn't even punished._

_I hope this clears up why I get so protective. It hurt to have my work used by someone else professionally so you can imagine how I feel when it's used by others no matter how small._

Chapter 24: Dizzy

The idea made her flush with embarrassment, although she knew she shouldn't be embarrassed. It was the only thing she could think of that might be able to pick the lock.

Erin reached under her shirt, turning away from him slightly so she didn't hit him in the side with her elbow – not that he would have felt it.

She seemed to fiddle with her vest top, trying to do something to it.

The tearing of stitches was heard which confused Vlad even more.

She continued to fiddle under her top, he was transfixed on her look of concentration as she tried to do… whatever she was trying to do.

Erin let out a triumphant cry as she withdrew a curve piece of metal and held it out to him – the metal under wiring on her bra. "Not one word." She told him seriously, seeing the smile that was beginning to cross his face, she shifted uncomfortably as she felt embarrassed at giving him something like that even though she knew he'd handled the entire thing more than once.

Vlad inserted the end of the wire into the lock before folding the curve in half and inserting the other half. He worked the two halves back and forth for a few moments suddenly the padlock clicked open and dropped harmlessly to the floor with a loud bang.

Erin winced, hoping that no one had heard that sound.

"I told you I'd learned a few things from Ingrid." He grinned at her, Ingrid didn't have a clue he could do that. Erin rolled her eyes as she kicked the stiff door open with her feet, ramming them against the door. He held out the now bent wire to her, "Do you want it back?" He teased and she hit him hard in the arm.

Vlad shuffled across the cage, it rocked from side to side before he managed to jump down. As soon as his feet touched the ground he lost his balance and he grabbed the bars of the cage for support.

Erin saw what he did, "Vlad?"

"I just got a little dizzy." He answered, with a reassuring look on his face.

"You don't get dizzy." Erin whispered, grabbing his arm. "Vlad what's wrong?" She tried to search his face but he'd slipped a mask over his features.

"Just the argentalium. I'm fine." He assured her. He held out his arms steadying the cage as Erin jumped from it to the ground.

She reached back in and grabbed the cape, she wasn't going anywhere without it.

Vlad opened his arms for her and Erin immediately stepped into his embrace. Without any further ado he shot out of the room with her, trying to reach the surface to fly into the night.

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Vlad landed with Erin on the ground, silently. This was the only place they could go; they hadn't looked for him here before so he doubted they would look here now.

The church was the one place his family didn't know about, Vlad closed his eyes making sure all telepathic connections were severed before looking around at his latest prison.

Erin rested against the familiar wall of the church watching as Vlad seemed more vulnerable than ever before.

"What are we going to do?" Erin asked him softly.

Vlad shook his head and paced in a circle, his shoes skidding along the floor. He looked genuinely worried; he ran a hand through his short black hair, his fingers twisting in it before dropping his hands to his face. Erin grabbed his hands holding them in front of her. She'd never seen this side of him before. "They want to slay me."

"Vlad you knew they would." Erin reminded him gently. He nodded, she was worried, he wasn't acting normally – well normal for this half of him. "Vlad what's wrong? You're not… you."

"I just don't know what to do." He whispered, his plans were thrown out of the window, they'd all be ready for him and they were determined to get rid of him. The bind had terrified him; he'd never even thought they would consider it. It was a devastating sight and almost unbearable to watch.

"What can I do to help?" She asked.

"You could slay me and get it over with." He joked; Erin didn't take it as a joke though.

Erin's answer was automatic, slight anger in her tone. "I would never slay you Vlad,"

He looked at her; there was something in her tone that made him feel uneasy. "Have you ever tried?" He rolled his eyes, "Not counting the blunt HB." He still found that amusing and Erin flushed at that being her choice of weapon, still she'd allowed him to come closer without reacting so she knew she couldn't do it.

"I may have once…" She saw his eyes redden, in anger and hurt, "Only once! It's was a couple of weeks after meeting you and I couldn't do it myself. It was when your mum came. I didn't know you then. I was attracted to you but you were vampires I knew nothing about." She took a chance and kissed him lightly, "You know I could never hurt you, either of you."

The red of Vlad's eyes suddenly vanished; she was tensed waiting for his answer having withdrawn into a hunch after kissing him.

He leaned across and placed his mouth on her neck.

He was shocked as a sob escaped her at his action.

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He pulled away to look at her, seeing her eyes glisten and tears trickle down her face. Her body began to quiver – she seemed terrified. He realised then what she must have thought; how he looked like he was responding.

"I didn't bite you." He told her gently. He brushed his fingers across her neck before holding them out to her. "No blood." He opened his mouth revealing that he hadn't lowered his fangs. She reached a shaky hand up to brush along his teeth to make sure that what she was seeing was actually real.

"Sorry." She whispered feeling suddenly guilty for misinterpreting his actions, "It's just… you looked so angry. When you get angry you tend to…" She turned her head away from him. He cupped her face, bringing her eyes back to his. "If you do bite me just tell me so I'm not so scared. I want to be ready for the bite. I don't want it in anger either." He couldn't make up his mind whether she wanted his bite or was resigning herself to it.

His eyes softened, "I will never bite you. I can promise that." He told her with conviction. He owed her an explanation, "I went to kiss you there, I didn't think about what it might look like I was doing."

Erin responded by kissing his neck as an apology. "Can we talk about it if I ever want to be bitten?"

Vlad was surprised by her even having to ask. "You know I won't do anything you don't want."

Erin lifted a hand to his forehead, he was sweating. He didn't feel any different though, her fingers grazed his pulse point – not a waver there wasn't a pulse – he seemed fine. It must have been residual effects of the argentalium.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He had looked off colour for a while, she was thinking back to their first night together she'd woken and he hadn't looked well then.

He nodded, before kissing her and distracting them both from the fact everything had blown up in their faces. Erin was content to let him, they needed this after the revelations of her parents' graves and Ingrid and Bertrand finding out, they might not have another chance for a while. They wanted to take the moment while they could.

The thought of a bind had terrified both of them; they needed to forget for a while.

This was the one way they could by taking comfort in each other.

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Erin lifted her head upwards from where it was pillowed on Vlad's chest. Vlad was still sleeping peacefully, she could tell that from how motionless he was.

Erin pressed the softest of kisses to the pale skin that was there. Her warm lips meeting the ice-cold skin, making them tingle from the sensation. She smiled though, it wasn't unpleasant. She watched as his chest quivered at her gentle touch so she did it again.

Erin glanced towards the fire, it was dying out. It was little more than embers. She'd need to fetch more firewood soon. The beginnings of the early morning light were slowly casting their rays down on the two people sleeping there.

She reluctantly pulled herself from his embrace and slipped on her clothes quickly. She felt him stir. "I'm getting some firewood." She spoke quietly, "Go back to sleep."

He rubbed his hand across his face, "What time is it?" He whispered before glancing at his watch.

"Seven." She guessed, it felt like seven to her. She couldn't see her watch. "I'll be careful, no wolves this time." She promised, she wasn't keen to meet with them either.

"Mutts." He corrected with a small smile, before rubbing his hands over his face trying to rub the sleep from them.

"Get some rest." She knew he really wasn't feeling well, that worried her she'd never seen him ill before.

He shook off her concern. "I'm fine." He wasn't going to worry her by telling her how he really felt.

"Don't lie to me Vlad." She leaned down and kissed his lips quickly.

"Can I get dressed first?" He asked her sarcastically. Erin nodded with a smirk as he pulled the cape from himself. "Just be careful." He told her. Erin grinned at him, before pulling away from him completely.

He watched her with a grin as she walked from the church into the morning light. He sighed before glancing around trying to locate his clothes. He found his jeans a few feet away from his feet, he reached across and pulled them to him.

He located his shirt by the old window, he didn't know Erin could throw that far. He crawled across to it and gripped it between his fingers. Vlad stood slowly, pulling on his shirt. He suddenly felt lightheaded, he needed to sit back down against the wall.

With uneasy steps he made his way towards the wall before he felt sick once again.

He never made it across the floor.

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Erin returned with the firewood, the sunlight hours were the safest in this place.

As soon as she saw Vlad she dropped the firewood to the floor, the dry, brittle twigs cracking the second they impacted against the hard stone slabs. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her to his side.

He was just lying there, unmoving.

The right side of his face was pressed against the damp ground. His shirt was slightly rooked up around his waist. There wasn't even any sign of rapid eye movement, not even the smallest blink.

She slid along the floor the last few feet to his side. Immediately she turned him over, not wanting him to remain on the cold floor. Erin cradled his head immediately in her lap, checking him over with her eyes – there wasn't a mark on him. He wasn't injured physically. The dirt and dry leaves clung to his shirt as if creating a blanket of some kind.

"Vlad?" She asked, trying to wake him. She shook him but he still didn't move. "Come on Vlad, please."

Fear began to grip her as he still didn't respond, not even the slightest movement as she ran her fingers through his hair. She thought he might have hit his head and been knocked out but there wasn't even the smallest sign of a bump.

Tears pricked at her eyes, this couldn't be happening not when they couldn't accept help from anyone.

"Wake up Vlad, please." She pleaded, praying upwards. The irony of where they were wasn't lost on her. However her prayer went unanswered as she he didn't awaken.

It was more terrifying because she was on her own and she knew nothing about treating vampires.

Although Erin knew one thing for certain:

This wasn't the argentalium this time.

This was something else.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	25. Returning the Favour

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I feel so guilty not posting when I promised to. I went out with some friends to meet up with a friend who lives in Barry before going into Cardiff Bay for the Doctor Who Experience (it's fantastic) and shopping in the city itself. We ended up staying the night at her house as it was gone midnight when we were finally ready to leave after going back to the Bay for a meal. She wanted to make sure we all got home safely._

_I hope you can forgive me._

Chapter 25: Returning the Favour

The cage was empty.

That was the first thing they noticed about the room when they entered. Bertrand cautiously sniffed the air, trying to detect any trace of Vlad or Erin. He'd never bothered to notice Erin's scent before but it wasn't a slayers, it was… distinctive somehow. Almost as if there was something familiar about it that he couldn't put his finger on.

The scent was now too stale to be of much use to them. The pair must have left the room shortly after they did. He knew he wouldn't get far with the scent, possibly a mile at most if Vlad had flown. The wind would have scattered her scent, leaving him with nothing to go on.

Bertrand reached up and toyed with the padlock, there was nothing wrong with it. Vlad hadn't used his powers on it – not that he could in the argentalium cage – he must have used something else to escape. He hadn't taught Vlad this section of his training yet so he was curious how he knew how to escape. Erin couldn't have shown him as she failed to escape the cage last time.

Ingrid bent down and picked up something that was on the floor, a folded over piece of wire. Her eyebrow rose as she twirled it in the dim light of the room, watching in fascination as the light reflected off the painted surface of the wire. Curious she unfolded it; she knew Vlad didn't have any wire on him so she wondered where it could have come from.

Bertrand looked at the wire, confusion filling him as he saw the curved surface. Ingrid smirked as she realised what it was her smile only growing as she realised that Bertrand didn't know what it was. Although he was part of the vampire world and this wouldn't concern him at all.

"I didn't know she could be so useful." Ingrid muttered under her breath before dropping the wire back down to the ground, it landed with a soft ping.

Bertrand looked at Ingrid; her plans were taking another turn for the worst. She had never been lucky in her planning. "So what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know." Ingrid whispered, Vlad could intervene at any point and stop her if he wanted to.

"With Vlad out of the way you can kill the Count." Bertrand wasn't being serious he was being more snarky than anything else. "He'll welcome it." Bertrand knew that Vlad wouldn't forgive while he was like this, he'd want his father to suffer for what he did to him.

"He's probably hoping I'll do it." She shuddered, almost imperceptivity. "He didn't stop us when we began fighting over his power, he probably wouldn't have given me any of it."

It seemed like something this side of him would do, she was curious as to what role Erin would play in his power. Erin wouldn't accept any power, she didn't want it she only cared about the young vampire, Ingrid remembered confronting her about it only for Erin to pull a blank look before realising what Ingrid meant by 'Queen'. Erin honestly didn't care about Vlad's power.

She felt like kicking something, anything, just to alleviate this feeling of frustration. She knew she couldn't kick Bertrand like she used to kick her brother – he'd just kick back.

There was only one way to get the Vlad back that they knew, the Vlad who wouldn't divide his family on purpose and the Vlad who usually sorted out everyone's problems. Bertrand was actually glad Ingrid hadn't managed to work up the courage to tell Vlad about the deal she'd made. "We need to make sure he's bound."

"He'll never forgive us for this." Ingrid muttered under her breath, she was beginning to wonder whether it would help at the end of the day. She wondered if it wouldn't turn him into the vampire he could be even without his reflection in control. You didn't have to have be evil to do evil. She didn't know if Vlad could cope with being paralysed.

Bertrand knew that as well, Vlad would never have the same freedom he had now. It was a dilemma. Usually there were two options – kill a vampire or let them live. There was no in between. They were considering taking an action that would affect Vlad for the rest of his unlife and he wasn't sure if the Vlad they wanted back could ever handle what they were going to do to him.

This was the price of the freedom of the Vlad they knew. It was a steep one.

"We can't let him carry on like this." He told Ingrid, for the sake of their kind and every other kind out there they couldn't let the bitter Vlad take over.

Ingrid shook her head, wishing there was a better way. If they'd known sooner there might have been. "We should have seen who he was sooner!"

"We didn't know which Vlad he was." Bertrand told her. "This is the only way to make sure he's controlled." There Bertrand had said it, Vlad needed to be controlled and guided it was the only way they could make sure that he did what they wanted him to do.

"None of us bothered to look!" Ingrid shouted at him. "He was here for nearly three months and we never even looked at him and realised which Vlad it was!" She cursed herself; there were things about him that were questionable looking back in hindsight.

"He fooled everyone Ingrid." Bertrand reminded her.

"Not everyone." She spun around and folded her arms over her chest. "Erin knew it was him. A slayer who'd only known him for a few months. She could tell the difference between the bad Vlad and my brother. I've known him all his unlife and I couldn't tell." Ingrid looked down, before looking at Bertrand; he prided himself on being observant. "You didn't notice either, the only person who did was Dad and that was only a couple of days ago. How many of us actually knew Vlad in the first place?"

Vlad had deceived them about who and what Erin was, he'd defied his father, he'd put up with all her taunts all his life, he could lie to them without any of them knowing. All this was before he'd even absorbed his reflection.

The only thing she knew about him was that he didn't want to be a vampire. That's all she'd bothered to know about him.

"You can't trust a slayer." Ingrid spat, she was furious at Erin keeping it to herself. "If she'd told us all of this months ago we wouldn't have to do this." Ingrid didn't understand one thing though. "Why hide?" Ingrid muttered.

Bertrand tipped his head; surely Ingrid couldn't have missed something so obvious. "He'll be eighteen soon, all the power he wants. He can do what he wants."

"You think he actually wanted the power?" Ingrid should have known the answer to that. When he had the power he could do whatever he wanted, he could get revenge on them for what they did or tried to do to him and he could get revenge on them legally.

"The Count and you show him as spoiled but when was the last time Vlad actually got something he wanted without having to work for it?"

Ingrid tried to think back, trying to figure out a point where Vlad had actually been given something without lies and boot licking to get it. She did managed to think of one thing, "Erin agreed to go out with him." Erin hadn't wanted anything in return.

"Erin doesn't count," Bertrand answered; Erin had come in trying to slay them and instead had fallen in love with the youngest Dracula and the most powerful vampire. She never came in to twist his mind but she'd stayed when he'd asked her to. Granted the two of them had hurt each other more than once they'd gotten past it. Vlad didn't hold a grudge against her unlike the rest of his family simply because Erin had never treated him differently because of who he was.

"Don't let Vlad here you say that." Ingrid muttered, she had a feeling that Vlad would protect the young slayer now more than ever.

Bertrand needed to finish what he was saying. "This side of Vlad just wants what he's been stopped from having since he was unborn. He's angry and bitter and that's what makes his decisions for him nothing else. He's more dangerous than ever before."

She looked down then back up at Bertrand, she felt like she'd betrayed her brother. Vlad was in that mind somewhere trapped, unable to break through. She was disappointed with Erin for not helping him, she thought the young slayer loved her brother but clearly didn't care about him. Vlad had saved her unlife more than once and it was about time that she returned the favour.

Bertrand had been the one person, besides Wolfie, that Vlad hadn't attacked before. Now he would consider him a traitor and a target, all of his past sins had been erased when Vlad had found out who was truly behind trying to get Erin and Ingrid out of the way. For that she felt incredibly guilty.

Her gaze met with his as she uttered words that were extremely difficult for her to say, "I'm sorry I got you into this." He was surprised at the sincerity of her words as his blue eyes widened.

Bertrand looked at Ingrid and for the first time he could see who she really was. There were no walls up, no calculating glances, nothing. She was just Ingrid. There were no ulterior motives behind her words.

"I know." He answered.

Ingrid looked down; she wished she hadn't involved him in all of this mess to start with.

Bertrand was bold; he grasped her chin lightly between his fingers and raised her questioning gaze up to look at her fully. She tipped her head to her left in confusion, this was the second time he'd initiated any form of tender contact with her.

If she was a breather her breath would have hitched in her throat as she saw something in his eyes. He looked serious, more serious than usual, he was deciding whether to do something or not. Seconds ticked by as he finally reached a decision.

He leaned in slowly, he didn't hesitate once but Bertrand never hesitated in his actions. Her eyes fluttered closed instinctively as he drew nearer and she waited patiently.

Then she felt it.

The tender brushing of his lips against hers and she felt herself coming undone. It was a brief contact but her eyes remained closed as he pulled back away from her. Her eyes fluttered open questioning why he'd moved away.

Then she saw something that surprised her, he seemed unsure. Ingrid had never seen him that way before, even when he'd tried to defend himself after staking her. He seemed almost apologetic that he'd 'taken advantage' of her in that moment but she didn't think of it that way. Ingrid lifted her right hand to grasp his left lapel, using it to support herself as she stood on her toes.

Their lips were just about to brush when she heard it – a deliberate cough.

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Ingrid stepped away from Bertrand, irritation flooding her. "What?!" She boomed, her voice lowing to a bass as she turned to face Renfield who looked positively horror filled at her reaction.

"I've finished the binder you asked for Mistress Ingrid." He passed her a small clear vial, large enough to hold ten millilitres of the precious binding liquid. Ingrid snatched it off him, taking care not to touch him.

Ingrid twisted it around in her fingers. "How does it work?"

"If this is injected into the back of Master Vlad's neck it should begin to take effect almost immediately."

Bertrand wanted to make sure of something. "Will he be able to fight it? He's stronger than other vampires."

"I've made this one stronger, it'll work quicker but it will be more painful. There might be more damage." Renfield held onto the vial, "Are you sure you want to do this Mistress Ingrid?"

In all truth the answer was no, but she couldn't let Vlad get away with being who he was at the moment. There was no telling how much damage he could wreak on their world. If she didn't she'd have to deal with Ramanga and his posse.

She felt Bertrand rest his hands on her shoulders and her mind was made up.

"I'm sure."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	26. Ill

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 26: Ill

Erin had never been so scared.

She didn't know what to do, she was completely baffles. She knew nothing about caring for ill vampires and judging from Vlad's reaction when Ingrid was ill – he didn't have a clue either.

That's if Vlad ever woke up.

Vlad didn't move he didn't even mutter anything. If she didn't know he was a vampire she would have taken him for dead. That was the only thing she knew for certain – he wasn't dead because he wasn't a pile of ash.

She continued to stroke his hair, muttering soothing words and encouraging him to wake up. It was as if he'd slipped into a deep sleep. She wished she could check his pulse, in humans it could be a sign for how ill they were. She readjusted the cape she'd placed over him, anything to distract her for a few moments.

Her only experience was Ingrid and her symptoms were completely different, the only similarity was the sickness. She couldn't cool him down or warm him up because his temperature was constant. He didn't clutch at his stomach or role in agony either. He wasn't even breathing so anything she'd learned from that encounter was completely useless.

She prayed to every single god she could think of, anything to get him to wake up. Her fingers trembled as she tried to will him awake, in fact her whole body was trembling with fear at what it might mean, her eyes were strained from staring at him and searching for the smallest muscle spasm.

Somehow her left hand had travelled down to clutch his tightly; her fingers were turning white from the force she was holding him with. A few times she thought she'd felt him squeeze her fingers but it was just her overactive imagination wanting him to do that.

He'd been ill ever since their first night together, it must have started then it was too much of a coincidence to his latest bout of sickness.

All she could do was wait some more and hope he woke soon.

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Vlad winced as he opened his eyes, his head was pounding. It felt as if white hot needles were being forced through his eyes and into his mind. It wouldn't fade, if anything it was stronger as the moments ticked by. The headache was a new sensation, eh wasn't sure if it was because of what was wrong or because of his eyes having to adjust to the light. Sensitive eyesight was something he hated about being a vampire.

His vision was blurry, his eyes darted around trying to fix on something. In front of him was a pinkish yellow blur, he closed his eyes and opened them once more to stare up at the thoroughly concerned shape of his girlfriend.

The last thing he remembered was pulling on his shirt before feeling… strange. He must have blacked out before he'd even reached the wall again. He knew how that must have appeared to her and he wished he hadn't blacked out, especially when she wasn't around. His joints ached, his left knee in particular, he must have hurt them when he fell – after all the stone floor wasn't exactly soft. He could feel the dampness still in his shirt from where he'd fallen on the ground and feel the grazes on his cheek healing from where he'd scraped his face when he fell.

Before he could say anything she swooped down and kissed him quickly on the lips glad he was finally awake. She smiled widely as she pulled back, Vlad looked taken aback at her reaction. He was slightly dazed as he looked at her. Erin thanked everyone she'd prayed to that he was there in front of her, blinking idiotically.

She helped him manoeuvre around so he was sitting upward before clutching at him tightly. Vlad returned her embrace as she buried her face in his chest. Her hair tickled his nose and he inhaled her scent.

"You had me worried." She whispered into his chest. Her grip tightening further as if afraid he would disappear if she let go. She pulled at his shirt, kissing the skin she exposed and making him shiver at her action. He could feel the racing of her heart against his chest and he closed his eyes relishing the moment.

"I'm sorry." He answered, kissing her temple. He felt her sigh and relax into his chest.

"I thought you'd never wake." A tear slipped down her cheek, as the realisation that she would have waited forever for him to wake set in. "I've never been that scared in my life."

"Not even when I tried to bite you?" He asked, feeling ashamed for that. He hated scaring her, the knowledge he had done was enough to make his stomach churn once again. He felt her shake her head into his chest. "I never meant to scare you."

Erin pulled back from him, "When I saw you there, lying on the floor I thought you were dead. If I didn't know what you were…" She trailed off as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. "You should have told me you were ill." She felt that she should have been able to do something to help him, anything, even if it was to direct him somewhere where they could get help.

To Vlad telling her hadn't been high on his list of priorities at the time. "I didn't have a choice Erin, I needed to get away from Bertrand and Ingrid."

"They'll try to bind you, now more than ever." Her voice dropped lower, Vlad sadistically congratulated himself on changing the direction of the conversation before he began to regret it. "Is that the only way they can get rid of you?" She twisted her fingers in her shirt hem, creasing it more than it already was.

Vlad looked at her, his face held a mixture of shock and upset. "Are you still trying? I thought… never mind."

Erin watched as he screwed his eyes shut tighter. She gave a small sigh and sat directly on his lap. His eyes snapped open to look at her, confusion and fear in his eyes. Erin realised then she had the power to terrify this Vlad, as if she held his unlife directly in her hands. His eyes fixed on a point over her shoulder, Erin knew there was nothing behind her rather he wouldn't look at her because of what he was thinking.

"Vlad finish what you were saying." She requested firmly. She hated it when people didn't finish what they were saying around her. If she'd hurt him or upset him again she'd rather be able to fix it immediately than let it develop into something more than it was.

He shook his head; he wasn't going to tell her. He glanced at her eyes before looking down, he was looking guilty. She'd never seen this side of him looking so guilty, she didn't think it was even possible.

He reluctantly finished what he was saying. "I thought you actually cared about me to let me stay."

"You're the first person I've ever said 'I love you' to, do you really think I'd lie about it?!" She shouted at him angrily, he seemed so shocked at her reaction. Then she deflated, suddenly understanding why he'd said what he'd said. "Is that what you're so scared of? That I'm going to do it to you myself?"

"You want him back." He gave a small shrug.

"You're right I do." She told him angrily, drawing a choked sound from him. "But I want you as well." His eyes flickered up to hers, shock and surprise in them. "That's what makes this so hard." She took a breath to calm herself, going back to her original question. "What I meant was – can they force you from Vlad any other way?"

"No." He whispered, Erin closed her eyes. She was glad there were no other surprises in terms of their actions but she was horrified that they would insist on binding him.

"Would it really paralyse you?" She wanted to know. She wanted to know if there were any chances he would escape unharmed if they got hold of him.

He nodded, "There's never been a case where it hasn't happened." There had been many bindings, some intentional others not so, every single one had resulted in the same injury. "My spine would be broken in too many places from the convulsions that the drug causes, it wouldn't heal. Even vampires have their limits."

Erin felt sick, there was always another way and she was sure that if Ingrid looked she would find it. "How could Ingrid do that to her own brother?"

"This is mercy considering she tried to slay me before." He spat out, it wasn't intended for Erin it was intended for his sister. She was terrified of his power just because he'd retaliated last time. He'd only answered her back.

Erin gave him a wistful look as she wanted him to remember something. "You did try to kill her last time."

"I was protecting myself!" He was immediately defending himself; he'd never made the first move. He forced himself to calm as he realised that Erin had appeared at the top of the stairs when he'd managed to disarm his sister. She didn't know this part and he'd never thought she'd need to know. "Because she tried to slay me before because of what said something to her." Erin tipped her head, asking silently, 'What did you say?' It was a slightly suspicious look she gave him as if she expected his words to be deeply offensive. "'Don't push me'."

"With fangs?" She asked and he nodded, he thought that would be obvious. Erin blinked it was hardly the most terrifying thing that he could have said. She'd had worse comebacks from him herself. "She tried to slay you because you said 'don't push me'?" Erin gave a sigh, Ingrid clearly didn't like Vlad answering her back. Vlad was usually passive so for him to confront her no matter how mildly Ingrid must have assumed the worst. "She's terrified of you of what you can do."

"You're not now." He pointed out, he sounded shy as he remembered that she was terrified of him back when she'd confronted him with who he was. She'd admitted it to him.

Erin brought his hand up to her lips and kissed his knuckles softly, "I'm used to you, she isn't." Erin knew he couldn't hurt her but Ingrid didn't. Then again she couldn't be convinced that this side of him wouldn't hurt his sister, he was more irrational like this and years of Ingrid's taunts had taken their toll on him.

The difference between her and Ingrid was that she'd never directly wanted to slay him to be rid of him because of who he was. She would have gone after any clan if they had bitten Ryan. Ingrid had tried to slay him a number of times.

"That doesn't mean I'll forget what she's tried to do to me!" He half snapped at Erin.

Erin ran her fingers across his mouth, soothing him slightly. "I know." Erin knew he couldn't forgive easily. Ingrid hadn't done anything to make him even consider forgiving her for what she'd done.

"You know Ingrid won't stop until I'm no longer a threat." He whispered against her fingers.

Erin placed her forehead against his, "So this is going to become her getting you before you get her." She muttered before pulling a tight lipped smile, "Great."

He made an effort to get up, preparing to push her from his lap. "We can't stay here; we need to keep moving…"

She placed a hand on his chest, pushing him backwards and tightening her legs around his waist stopping him from pushing her off. "You said they didn't know where this was. They won't find you here." Her voice was soft as if trying to calm a small child. She couldn't move him, there was no telling whether moving would make his condition worse. "There's still soy blood…"

"If we stay you'll have to drink it too." He reminded her; he smirked at the revolted face she pulled before it faded from him and he turned to the side quickly. He heaved up the remainder of the contents of his stomach a black residue piling on the floor.

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Vlad suddenly clutched his head and doubled as he felt his stomach churning again, clearly releasing what was in his stomach hadn't worked this time. Erin reached for him, cradling his head and massaging his temples hoping it would help remove some of the pain for him.

"You're ill Vlad." She whispered, he couldn't deny it. He was getting worse. He couldn't scare her again by blacking out, he refused to let himself do that to her again.

"I'm fine," He tried to assure her. "It'll pass, it always does." He seemed to fully believe that but she wasn't so sure. He shook, not feverish but as if he'd overexerted himself as if his muscles were finally responding from being tensed.. He was sweating though and that was enough to worry her in itself. "You can't catch it." He reminded her. Erin knew that, if there was a chance she had she would have been ill by now.

"I never cared about that." She didn't care if she could have caught it, she cared about making him well. "You've been ill for a week; I know when you're ill. I thought it was the scent of my blood that made you ill but it was only part of it wasn't it?"

Vlad gave a small sigh, he might as well tell her. "It started then but," She went to speak but he put a finger on her lips, "It only started properly just before I was thrown into the cage. I didn't think it would happen again."

Erin wished he'd told her sooner, then they might have been able to use Renfield as it was they couldn't go back to Garside Grange to get him seen to but there might be someone who could help them.

Erin rummaged through her pockets, trying to see if she could find the paper she'd written Jonno and Mina's number on. She'd given Vlad the original card they'd given her but she was sure she'd noted down their numbers somewhere. "We need to figure out what's wrong with you. Maybe Jonno and Mina could help. I know they're slayers but they want peace so…"

Vlad knew Erin had a right to know, he'd been keeping it from her long enough. He took her hand in his and she gave him a confused look, she didn't understand why he'd stopped her. "I already know what's wrong with me."

He knew all the symptoms well enough; he'd been expecting them for a long time.

She couldn't believe he hadn't told her, she wanted answers. "Then why…" She began unable to contain her anger at him not telling her what was wrong with him.

He kept his eyes on hers even though he wanted to pull away from her. "Because there isn't a cure."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	27. Claw Marks

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I've put the reason for not posting in the next chapter, its... irritating to say the least._

Chapter 27: Claw Marks

Ingrid looked around Erin's room, desperate to find something that might lead them to Vlad. So far she couldn't find anything.

Bertrand knocked gently on the door. "Erin doesn't have much to search through." He commented. Ingrid looked around; she wasn't like the boys she always returned things to how they were once she'd searched. There was no point in letting anyone know that someone had been searching through their things.

"There's nothing in here!" She snapped angrily, all her searching had turned up nothing.

Bertrand crossed the room to her; he swept it with his eyes. "You just have to know where to look." He answered, pushing her out of the way as he darted under Erin's coffin to look before reaching into the loose floorboards – Erin was a quick learner she wouldn't hide anything else down there. He didn't think he'd find anything. He wiped his hands on his trousers, leaving dusty marks as he stood up.

"And where do you think we should look Bertrand?" She pronounced his name correctly, the first time anyone had since he'd arrived although the way she said it was more of a curse than anything else. She tipped her head with a smirk, waiting for him to admit he was wrong.

"Have you tried Vlad's room?" Bertrand asked her.

Ingrid's eyes narrowed, "This is Erin's room, she wouldn't have anything in Vlad's room…" She shook her head remembering which Vlad they were dealing with here. "You think she might have left something in his room when they were sleeping together?" She winced as she said the words.

Bertrand didn't answer he just left the room and entered Vlad's. When Vlad was around he felt wary about entering his room, as if there was something about it that would cry for Vlad to return should anyone enter it. Erin had been the only person that was freely allowed in this room, from the very beginning that had been the case.

Vlad trusted far too easily and that was almost his downfall, clearly he hadn't trusted anyone when his reflection took over – other than Erin and that had backfired on the young vampire. Vlad had paid the price for that from him, the Count and Ingrid in the week up to his girlfriend's return.

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Bertrand lifted the books off Vlad's shelf, skimming through them to see if there had been anything slotted in them. He didn't think that this new Vlad would do that though, he seemed to be more strategic and cunning than his good counterpart. Bertrand would have ordinarily praised him for that but in the current situation it was a problem. He placed the book on the shelf, ignoring the dust that flew across the room every time a book was disturbed.

"I never thought Vlad had it in him." Ingrid spoke quietly as she rummaged through her brother's wardrobe, looking for one of the shirts she knew Erin had borrowed from her brother in the hopes it had accidentally been rehung in his wardrobe – there might be something in one of the pockets that would lead them to them.

"He's not the same Vlad." Bertrand reminded her. "He's more confident and carefree." Ingrid nodded; she rubbed her arms remembering the feeling of the sun scorching her. "And he can hold a grudge." He noted, seeing her instinctive reaction.

"At least we know no vampire and slayer/breather can have a child." Ingrid let out a sigh at that one. At least Vlad hadn't been totally irresponsible, if he'd bitten Erin it might have been a different story.

She slammed the hangers back across the wardrobe, there was nothing in there. She turned around to see a similar look of disgruntlement on Bertrand's face. She wished that he'd never taught Vlad how to shield his mind but she wondered if Bertrand had actually taught him that or whether Vlad had learned it himself.

Bertrand leaned against the door, it startled him moving back an inch as it clicked into the lock he hadn't realised it wasn't closed. Ingrid didn't notice luckily. He reached down, slipping his right hand into his pocket, and produced something from his pocket – a small, silver hip flask with his family crest inscribed on it. He held it out to Ingrid and she grabbed two cups off Vlad's shelf. They were mugs, not goblets but they would do. One was a crimson red and the other a navy blue. Both were sparkling clean, not even one grain of dust was inside the cups.

She held them steady as he began to pour the contents into the cups. Not much as the flask didn't hold much but enough to share with her. The ruby liquid barely reached half way up the mug but it was enough.

He slipped the flask back into his pocket, patting it slightly to make sure it was securely in there. He took the blue cup from Ingrid, not that she was surprised even vampires preferred certain colours. She was black and silver, the Count was black and red, Vlad was red and grey and Bertrand was clearly blue and black. That was just going by the clothes they wore.

He raised the cup to her in a silent toast and Ingrid copied him perfectly before taking a sip of the blood.

It was delicious, she'd only tasted something like it once and it certainly wasn't something that her father had in the blood cellar. This must have been from Bertrand's own private store.

Ingrid couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Bertrand holding such a breather object. He looked down at it before looking at her narrowing his eyes in warning if anything she only laughed harder.

Bertrand's nose twitched and he sniffed the cup in his hand. Ingrid watched his actions sniffing it as well, worried that there might be some garlic or something in there. She could smell whatever he could; the blood in the china mug was Russian, a Dowager or something like that. It had a nutty scent, with citrus thrown in.

"What is it?" She asked as he turned his head from the mug his eyes sweeping the room, looking for something.

He didn't answer her he just continued his search around the room, he hadn't used his sense of smell, instead he'd opted for the more common use of sight – he shouldn't have ignored his sense of smell. He just assumed that Erin wore a milder stasis spray as her scent wasn't like a slayers but there was something else about it. This was her scent, pure and strong. She couldn't have been wearing her spray – dangerous considering who she lived with.

Bertrand located the source of the scent.

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He reached down underneath the small couch in his student's room, he felt something that was almost like cotton but it was sticky. He reached for it, pulling it forwards. It was half the size of a DVD player.

"What is it?" Ingrid asked him before gasping as he turned it over. There were four streaks of blood across the bandage – that's what it was a gauze bandage – they marked were perfectly straight and evenly spaced. Each one was the same length and width. She knew what they were. It could only be from Erin not one bled in their clan and Vlad didn't let any other breathers into his room – not even Renfield anymore. "They look like claw marks." Ingrid whispered, she'd seen Wolfie's paws enough to recognise the similarities. "You don't think he took her into wolf territory before?"

Bertrand looked up at her from his crouched position, "If he did he's an idiot." Bertrand spat, while he had no love for the slayer he thought Vlad loved her enough not to place her in that kind of danger.

"He must have taken her there when they escaped from the slayers."

"We don't know what happened there." Bertrand reminded her, Erin could have gotten these marks anywhere but the only time she could have gotten them was when they were taken by the slayers.

"Do you think he's taken her back there?"

"It would be the last place we'd expect him to go," He muttered, "I'd go somewhere like that."

"So he's taken her into wolf territory. How many treaties is that breaking?" She asked worried, vampires couldn't enter wolf territory without permission. Vlad really didn't care for the repercussions his actions could have on their kind and that's what made what they were doing all the more important.

Bertrand shook his head; he didn't want to think about it. "If he's in there we need to get them out quickly and do what we have to."

Ingrid nodded as he straightened back up from the crouch he'd forced himself into. He brushed against her as he did so. She shivered at the contact, she'd never felt like that before and it was terrifying but exhilarating.

She looked up at the taller vampire, she didn't regret their contact earlier. She was angry with herself for letting it happen especially after everything with Will but she found that she didn't think about him once when he'd kissed her – which made her feel guilty. Ingrid knew that she couldn't keep living in the past, Vlad was right she couldn't repeat what had happened before and she couldn't change it she could only move forward. She'd accepted his offer of a 'date' even though she now knew he'd been setting her up to take the fall. She wasn't irritated with him anymore instead it had impressed her, he was just like her in that respect.

She reached up to grasp his shoulders lightly, he didn't stop her. She stood on her toes, he was much taller than her. She looked at his eyes before looking at his lips then his eyes once more. She couldn't see anything in his eyes to stop her so she curled her arms around his neck, pulling him down as there was only so far she could go on her toes.

Bertrand came towards her willingly, she smiled softly. The first tender smile she'd had in years. Ingrid allowed her eyes to close as she waited for their lips to brush.

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Bertrand seemed to snap to his senses and he reached up and grasped her hands, pulling them from his neck. Ingrid's eyes snapped open, surprised at his change when he'd kissed her before; she fixed her gaze on him trying to understand why his reaction was so different to before. He'd initiated it before. She felt hurt pricking at her.

Bertrand knew he'd let the moment take control of him before. He hadn't listened to his head and that's what was important in their world.

He knew she'd been through some sort of heartbreak, something had tipped her over the edge and she'd caused chaos and carnage in Stokely. He'd heard about it in the papers and it whispered as a threat around the school but he didn't know what triggered it. "I don't know what happened before and…"

"I lost someone." Ingrid didn't know why she'd said that, her eyes widened as she did. "His name was Will." She continued, she might as well finish. All Bertrand would have to do was ask Vlad and he'd tell him the whole story, at least he would when they returned him to normal.

"I'm sorry." He told her softly, Ingrid knew he wasn't apologising for Will.

"You're sorry?" She scoffed, that was something she never thought she'd hear from him. "What for?"

"I'm not a good match for you." Bertrand told her honestly.

Ingrid scoffed at his old fashioned words, "'A match'?" Bertrand looked at her, refusing to be jeered at. His gaze hardened a fraction but she saw it. His terms were archaic he knew but still he didn't deserve for her to start taunting him. It wasn't easy for him to recognise that he wasn't worthy of her, of anyone. He was a proud man and it was all he had left. "I don't care about 'a match'. I'm not even talking about marriage. Things are changing dating doesn't lead to marriage anymore."

"I know…" Bertrand began lowly.

"If it ever led to anything then…"

He couldn't listen to anymore of her words. "I don't have anything Ingrid." Bertrand told her, the words were hard enough to say as they were. "I have no inheritance. I never have had any. With the way things are, Vlad won't give you what he promised and I can't give you anything either."

Ingrid looked at him shocked, she'd never heard of a son not having anything only half fangs and she knew he wasn't one. "Oh." She took a step away from him. Bertrand knew she would, he had to be honest before things grew between them. Tense silence filled the air as he waited for her to speak. "Was it taken from you or…"

He bowed his head, looking behind her. He could lie to her but she'd find out the truth – Ingrid always did. "My inheritance was the book." He answered, "Nothing else." She took another step away from him, and he tried not to let it affect him. "I can't give you a position or respect; I can't even give you a home. Everything that was supposed to be mine went to my sister because I had the book." Every other vampire he knew had something. In the terms of prospects he had just about as much chance as a half fang did. He had some wealth from his time as a soldier in the wars but not enough to sustain a clan on.

He knew Ingrid cared about position and respect; he didn't have any of it and therefore couldn't give it to her. Ingrid needed a position because Vlad would never give it to her now he knew she could and would remove his evil from the control it had over him. He'd gained 'friends' using the book as leverage. Bertrand couldn't give her what she wanted the most and that's why he refused to let either of them be hurt. He couldn't let a relationship build on false hopes.

Bertrand was now no one and he had to face the reality that as soon as Vlad turned eighteen he wouldn't be needed anymore. The thought scared him as he truly didn't know what else to do. He would be considered too old to learn a new skill now and times had changed – techniques had developed.

He reached out to touch her but she backed away from him. He dropped his hand to his side. He felt a pang in his chest as he realised a small part of him had dared to hope that it wouldn't matter to her. Clearly it did. It was the same feeling he'd had all his life when his mind echoed that he couldn't be with anyone because he wasn't a prize.

He stood tall, pretending not to have let the conversation affect him. He couldn't see how Ingrid felt, whether she was repulsed by him or not because a mask had slid over her face. "I think we should just deal with Vlad and Ramanga so things can go back to how they were."

Ingrid's gaze hardened to steel as she looked at him before spitting out, "Good idea."

With that she pushed past him and stormed from the room, hurt and fury flowing over her as the thunder crackled in the distance.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	28. Solution

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Please let me know what you think._

_I came to post last night to find my account couldn't be accessed. I had a PM today apologising for 'accidentally' reporting me. Apparently I'd posted a Vlad/Chloe fic on Saturday (amazing considering I was in Barry/Cardiff with no access to a computer and the fact I really don't like Chloe) that was stolen from someone else and that's why I was reported, apparently they clicked on my fic by accident, scrolled down and reported it._

_I'm not quite sure what to make of it as there clearly wasn't one posted on that day by any author on the site. Other than the fact I'm livid about it._

Chapter 28: Solution

Erin blinked, unsure exactly what Vlad had said. His face didn't change and there was no way he could contain a joke for that long. His face was perfectly serious and he looked at her with heavy eyes.

"That isn't funny Vlad."

"It's not supposed to be Erin." Vlad answered, she jerked away from him taking a deep breath. She clenched her fists, trying to think of something to say to him. She couldn't lose him, not now. "There isn't a cure to what's wrong with me."

Erin was beyond angry, her eyes flashed in pure fury. If he didn't know better he would be expecting a rampant thunderstorm. She pushed herself up, not caring as her hands scraped along the floor. She wanted to move away from him before she did something she'd regret to him.

"And I'm supposed to accept that?" Erin shouted at him. She stood and flailed her arms, trying to grasp onto the air as if holding it would give her the answers she wanted. "You're ill and I'm supposed to accept that you won't get better? I won't believe that."

There was a cure for everything, ignoring the one exception – the common cold. Vampire medicine was more advanced than human medicine; even the slayers had more cures at their disposal.

"Erin…" Vlad tried to get her to listen so he could explain.

"You've let me talk about the future when it came to whether I could get pregnant and you didn't stop me…"

Vlad pushed himself to his feet, hating the fact his head swam as he tried to, "You can still have that future." He told her quickly, but she didn't let him finish.

"I'm not having someone else…"

"You can have it with me." He answered, this time she lashed out. She hit him hard, his face snapping to one side. He was confusing her and that's why she'd lashed out. Vlad cupped his cheek; she really could make a slap sting. He grabbed her wrist pulling her to him.

"Don't you dare lie to me!" She growled at him, he wasn't making any sense.

He wanted her to realise something, something he'd noticed immediately. "You haven't once asked what's wrong with me."

Erin looked down, "You're dying." She choked out, her eyes threatening to overthrow with tears.

"I am." He confirmed, his voice and face was serious. She tried to pull away but he wouldn't let her, conscious that he could break her wrist if he had to hold on any tighter he wrapped his left arm around her waist tightly. With his right he moved it from her wrist to her neck, holding her head in place so she had to look at him. "Erin ask me what's wrong." He commanded.

Erin found she couldn't deny his request, there was something there. "What's wrong with you?"

He stroked her jaw lightly, looking into her eyes. "My body's tearing itself apart."

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Erin didn't know what to say, all she could manage was: "What?"

"Both sides of me, we're fighting against each other. My body has started to fight itself as well, that's what's making me ill." His body was advanced enough to hold both of them but only if one bent to the will of the other, no vampire had ever fought against his reflection or vice versa as he had. It was the problem with being half of the most powerful vampire in existence.

"I don't understand." Erin couldn't understand how his body was fighting itself.

"A chemical imbalance has been created." He was using terms he'd read about. "My brain is telling my body to respond in different ways to the chemicals in order to try and cope with what's happening – sickness, dizziness, aches and pains – and when it can't cope any more I black out which I guess happened." He was referring to how she'd found him.

"And there's nothing that can cure this 'imbalance'?"

"There isn't a cure." He explained, "It's like when you break a bone, you're not ill as in you've caught something but it can make you be sick. It can't be cured it has to heal itself."

Erin was confused, "What are you saying?"

"There's a solution not a cure." There was nothing that existed medically that could cure it, he could only remove or stop what was causing the imbalance.

Erin shook her head in confusion, "Isn't that the same thing?"

"A cure involves medicine of some sort; a solution is an answer to a problem. This can't be fixed with medicine, it can only be fixed with a decision."

"What kind of decision?" She asked him, she felt her heart rate speed up and in that moment she became focussed on the world around her. She could hear the birds in the trees, the rustling of the wind as it caressed the grass, the creak of the bare branches as they swayed.

He looked away. "One of us has to go."

"What do you mean?" Erin didn't understand what he meant by 'go'.

"One of us has to let the other take control completely. If not we both die." He tried to make it as simple as he could for her, he was holding onto borrowed time as it was. The other one who let go would essentially 'die' becoming dormant, whichever one that let go would become the conscience. "This body can't cope with both of us constantly fighting inside. I've been expecting it since I took over months ago."

Erin scoffed, unable to believe what she was hearing. "*Months*? You've known for *months* that this would happen?"

"There was only so long our body could cope with us fighting against each other." He looked down embarrassed at her finding out like this, "I thought I'd have time before my eighteenth birthday. Do everything I needed to before this happened, before we had to make a decision about who was going to be in control once and for all."

"By 'do everything' you mean…" She trailed off, she couldn't use the word, it wasn't one she'd consider using concerning him but after what they planned to do to him she herself could almost condone his actions – and that was hard to admit.

"Revenge." He confirmed. "I thought I could deal with Ingrid and Dad before he could do anything to stop me. Punish them for everything they've done to me. We don't have the time to do that." He shook his head taking those thoughts away from him with the action.

"What changed?" Erin asked him quietly. He looked to her in confusion, "Why is it happening now and not after your birthday?"

Vlad's answer was simple – just one word. "You."

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Erin's breath caught in her throat, he was honest in his words and she felt herself growing sick. She was making him ill but she didn't know how she was doing it. She wanted to be able to undo it, she'd even leave if she had to. It would be hard but for his sake if it meant he was protected then she would do it.

Vlad gave her a small smile, "You changed it." He didn't think she could affect him but he was wrong, he knew when he couldn't bite her even when he taunted her with it, he knew he could never hurt her from the way he repulsed himself at his actions – before it hadn't been a problem but this time it had. His feelings had grown or rather they'd broken through the walls he put up the second he'd stepped out of the mirror to face the girl he knew so much about through his link with Vlad for the first time.

Erin didn't believe him, she hadn't done anything at all. "I didn't do anything."

He shook his head; he felt the rough material of her jeans beneath his fingers as he traced patterns on her thighs. "Do you remember when I tried to bite you?"

"Which time?" Erin asked quickly.

He laughed briefly before grinning, "The third time, you gave him the strength to beat me." Erin nodded; she was surprised that he wasn't angry at that. "You give us both strength to fight each other so we fought harder, sped up the process." He kissed her lightly, "You're stronger than you think against me." He gave a sigh, "When I made you leave it was easier for me, I was in more control against him, he stopped fighting me but we both wanted you back. When you came back you gave him the strength to fight me and gave me the strength to fight him."

Erin shook her head, this was her fault. She'd given them the energy to fight against each other. "If I hadn't come back…"

Vlad could see she was blaming herself, if anyone was to blame it was himself for letting himself fall for her in the first place. "It still would've happened eventually." He told her, "Like I said I thought I would have enough time until my eighteenth to do everything I wanted before we had to make a decision."

Something seemed to snap in her at those words, something set her off and what she'd felt since he'd told her rose to the surface in wrath. His words spurred her on, they were burned in her mind and she wasn't going to stop until he understood that she knew what he'd been up to. "You've known this was happening for months, so this last week," She felt her eyes tearing up, she wasn't going to hide them from him there was no point now. "You played with me. There was a chance you'd never have me so you spent this last week making it worth it."

He shook his head, reaching out to touch her. He would never do that to her, she was angry she didn't know what she was saying. "Erin…"

Erin stepped away from him nearly falling as her foot slipped on the damp flagstones; she wrapped her arms around herself. "This was always about getting what he had, wasn't it?" She snapped at him. She wasn't sure how she could express how hurt she was. She felt used. "A last bit of torment for him."

"You said you could see both of us when I was with you." He reached out to touch her but she shrugged off any contact as if it disgusted her, if anything her own arms wrapped tighter around her stomach "It was both of us. As much as I hate him I'd never, never make him watch while I was with you. I promise that I would never do that to you."

"How do I know that?"

He looked at her eyes, blinking and nodding as he spoke trying to show her how serious he was. "You have to trust me."

"You didn't trust me enough to tell me about this." She growled, how dare he ignore her on something so important? "You could have been honest with me!" She shouted angrily at him but he scoffed, she was one to talk about being honest to, he had always been far more honest with her than she had with him. "If you had I wouldn't have…"

"Bothered?" He asked, his voice choking as he felt a lump in his throat.

"I wasn't going to say that." She immediately and vehemently protested.

"What were you going to say then?" He asked her, his eyes wide and glassy as he spoke, "No one has ever wanted to know me. You asked me what it was like in that mirror, it was lonely and terrifying." He'd never admitted to being scared in there before, but he had, he had been scared on a regular basis. There was no way to stop other reflections from attacking him, no way to escape their taunts at how useless his flesh body was, no way to relax. "No one to talk to, other reflections didn't want to know you. You have your own little corner and you stay there from the day you're unborn, nearly eighteen years of that. You were the first person I wanted to touch, you are the first person *I* touched. People touched me but never once with affection or anything like that…"

"You tried to bite me!" She shouted at him angrily, "How is that touching me with affection?" She remembered how he'd grabbed her, and forced her neck to the side. The way she'd been pushed backwards as her back arched uncomfortably.

He looked downwards, "I didn't know how to." He knew he'd been rough, he'd been more gentle the second time though. He hadn't known how much of his strength to use until it was too late.

"It didn't stop you." She was accusatory.

She need to know why he'd done it, he'd never told her before, "I only tried to bite you because I didn't want you to hurt me again."

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Vlad lowered himself back to the ground and Erin thought it was because he was feeling unwell again – she was wrong as his next actions surprised her. He closed his eyes bringing his knees up to his chest. Erin watched him; he'd transformed from the evil side of Vlad to little more than a vulnerable young man. He felt small droplets forcing their way through his closed eyelids. He buried his face in his knees, trying to hide his tears from the woman he loved.

He was the strongest reflection and the most evil one yet she had the power to hurt him. He could feel every single emotion his counterpart had as well as his own, it was a curse.

Erin should have realised it sooner, he went after everyone who'd hurt him. She hadn't realised at the time but he had said why 'I know your secret, breather'. She'd taken it as he could reveal it at any point, what he'd meant was that he was doing it because he knew her secret.

"I never hid what I was to hurt you." She told him, reaching out to caress his hair. Stopping as the smallest contact made him flinch. "I hid because I was scared. I was scared of what your family would do to me." Her hand dropped to her side, seeing that he wouldn't let her touch him again. "I know you're not like that now."

"Do you think that makes it better?" He shouted angrily, she gulped as his accent thickened. It only thickened when he was close to biting. "I had to put up with being taunted and lectured by Dad and Bertrand because I fell for a slayer. I could sense slayers and I can sense you but I can't sense as a slayer and I don't understand that." Erin was confused at that, he was saying he could sense her but he couldn't at the same time. "I couldn't show who I was and everything they said to me hurt Erin. You couldn't trust me enough to tell the truth. I protected you when I thought you were a normal breather, do you think that helped at all?"

Erin looked downwards, she didn't think it would have affected him that much. "I'm sorry Vlad. I never meant…"

He shook his head cutting her off. "I just wanted to know it was worth it, that you could feel something for this side of me." Vlad looked at her his eyes all swollen and sore, "I just wanted you to know this me. The real me. I just wanted someone to love me as much as I love them." He'd practically forced her to get to know him, he felt guilty for doing that. He just wanted someone to see him and not what he was supposed to be. He'd only wanted to not be judged for what he was. He only wanted her to understand that.

"I do love you but…" She wouldn't get to finish.

"You wouldn't have let yourself if you knew." He finished, by her lack of answer he knew he was right. "It's fine Erin, I understand. I'm a reflection…"

He didn't get chance to finish as he felt her lips pressed against his, his back shot backwards until it hit the wall, the whole thing moved under the contact. Erin nipped his lip forcing him to open his mouth to deepen the kiss, the moment she did she felt a spark shoot through her just as it always did when they kissed. She cupped the back of his neck leaning into him.

Erin felt tears slip down her cheeks, spilling onto his. A sob escaped into the kiss before he stretched out his legs in front of him and pulled her in between them. Erin didn't resist as he pulled her to rest in the 'v' he'd created. She moved until she was kneeling there, she was a fraction higher than him, it felt strange for Vlad to angle his head upwards as they kissed.

He moved a hand to her hair, twisting it in her fingers while his right found the soft skin between her jeans and shirt, he trailed his cool fingers along there making her gasp and arch into him. He smirked against her lips at the reaction he caused. She caught his bottom lip between her teeth in retaliation making him moan at the loss before raising her lips back to his.

She pulled back and Vlad wiped her cheeks with his fingers, he hated to see her crying. Her chest heaved as she tried to get her breathing under control, Vlad stared transfixed – he missed breathing. "I've loved you for a while," She admitted breathlessly, "I just never let myself say it. If I didn't why would I have let you touch me when you were still hiding? I hated you because I couldn't stop loving you, you're my Vlad just as much as he is. Nothing will change that. This week just proved it, I just wish I didn't have to find out like this." He ran his fingers across her red and swollen lips, she closed her eyes at his tender contact.

He reached across and kissed her neck gently, nipping the skin there in a silent apology before telling her verbally. "I'm sorry." He whispered, letting their foreheads meet and letting her catch her breath before capturing her lips once more.

He suddenly pulled away, wincing as pain seared through his head, "One of us has to let go."

Erin pulled his face back towards hers. "I'm not letting either of you give up and you can't make me choose between you either." He didn't want her to ask him which one she preferred.

He kissed her forehead lightly, "You're too late Erin."

Her heart stopped at his words and crooked smile. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"We can't hold on for much longer." He spoke, his eyes left hers. He knew he'd never be able to tell her if he looked at her. "One of us has to go and we've already decided which one."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	29. Goodbye

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_All my plots are in place now I just have to slowly unravel them._

_I've grown a soft spot for the Vlad I've written in this story, that's never happened before to a character in a fic, I try not to as it tends to alter the plots in disastrous ways for me – well apart from Nicola Amaia Adria Dracula._

Chapter 29: Goodbye

Erin couldn't help but notice that he refused to look at her as he said the words. She grabbed his jaw – not too gently – and turned it so he was looking at her.

Her eyes were harsh as she looked at him.

"You made a decision without asking me?" She snapped at him, angry once more at his actions.

He gave a light shrug. "We wanted it to be easier on you. We didn't want you to choose between us." It took all of Erin's restraint not to hit him again,

Erin snorted, "You were both terrified of what I'd say." She understood their decision but it didn't mean she agreed with it. Each Vlad was worried she'd pick the other one. That left the question, which Vlad had they decided on? "Which one?" Erin asked him. "Which one of you is giving up?"

He moved his eyes this time, even if he couldn't move his head he managed to move his eyes away from her.

"It's you isn't it?" She gasped, sliding backwards. "You're the one giving up." She shuddered as she felt the air becoming colder around her, she hadn't noticed until she pulled away from him. Even though Vlad was cold he somehow always managed to keep her feeling warm, she didn't know how he did it or whether it was her imagination.

"Erin its better this way…"

"No it isn't."

He needed her to understand that if he went, he wasn't putting her in danger by his retaliating on his family. "It'll be easier on you…"

She folded her arms over her chest and fixed him with a glare that could turn a vampire to dust. "I want *both* of you. I don't want one above the other. My Vlad has always had your traits in him just like when you're with me I can see him in you. If one of you goes then he won't be the Vlad I met nor the one who came out of that stupid mirror." She'd never seen how alike they were until this past week.

Vlad pushed himself to his feet, moving in front of her. "You can't have both of us."

"Why not?" She growled at him. She couldn't bear to lose either of them.

"Because it's never been done before." He answered, frustrated by her line of questioning.

"There has never been a Chosen One before, nor a vampire/slayer relationship, there's a first time for everything. Just because it hasn't been done before it doesn't mean it's impossible."

He wasn't too confident in her assessment, "Erin…"

She wasn't going to let him brush it aside. "Why can't you just work together? Share the same body, if fighting is making you ill why can't you just work together instead? You work together when you're with me…"

"Do you really think either of us want that? That we want to do that permanently?" He asked her outright. He hated the thought. "He doesn't want me in here as much as I don't want him in here."

Erin noticed how he avoided the question, "That wasn't an answer to what I asked; I asked if it could be done."

He thought about her words, "Maybe."

She closed her eyes, hope filling her. She cupped his face, "He needed you to open that stupid book. You're part of him; you need to be conscious for him to do what he needs to do." He opened his mouth to speak but she placed a finger on his lips, "Let me finish, I don't mean leading an army or anything like that, I mean being a leader that can react to challenges thrown his way. I know he can already do that but you'll give him the confidence he needs. If it was reversed you need him to keep you balanced, without him you wouldn't love me or Wolfie. He's your humanity."

Erin had seen how Vlad had changed when he returned and she had an inkling that this would be how he would be if they shared. He would be more confident with himself and who he was as well as being how he used to be in his feelings for them all.

Erin looked down and back up, "Will you try for me?"

"In a couple of hours." He promised her, he knew he had that long at least.

"You need to build up your strength." She assumed from his delay.

Vlad shook his head and pulled her to him.

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Erin went willingly, she knew what he was asking, he didn't have to say the words. He held her to him, not pressuring her in the least – she could pull back at any time. Erin traced her fingers over his cheek bones. His eyes searched hers, Erin didn't nod at all. Instead she grasped the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head in one smooth motion. She chuckled as she saw his hair sticking out all over the place. She threw the shirt behind her before leaning against him so he fell to the floor.

Erin gave him a mischievous grin before closing the distance, and kissing him. He ran his hands along her waist, dipping his cool fingers below her waist band making her arch into him. Erin explored his chest as they kissed, their kissing becoming frenzied as they realised they didn't have much time left.

He felt her hands lowering to the zip on his jeans, Vlad suddenly broke the kiss, catching her smaller hands in his large ones, drawing a pout from her. He smirked, rolling her beneath him and straddling her before leaning back down to kiss her.

Vlad tugged at her shirt, ripping it along the shoulder but it could be fixed because he'd torn it along the hem. Erin pulled back glaring at him, hearing the stitching give – her favourite shirt. He had a cheeky grin on his face – he'd done it on purpose because she'd threatened that he'd have to repair it if he damaged it. Erin took over and pulled it from her, before he could damage it anymore. His hands immediately went to the new exposed skin that was revealed to him. She threw it over his head with a small grin, and then she hit him lightly in the chest before pulling him back to her, wrapping her arms around his neck. As he kissed her again she realised there was only one reason he would have done that – he thought he wasn't coming back. It was something he'd wanted to do since their first night together.

Tears came to her eyes as she realised that this would be bittersweet, he was saying goodbye. She couldn't handle goodbye. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him backwards, he pulled away looking at her in confusion before trying to lean in again only for her to turn her head away from him. She trailed her hand up from his strong chest to his jaw, then his cheek, he moved into her touch as she moved. The action made her smile.

She played with the small lock of hair that made up his right short sideburn. "If we do this I'm not having it as a goodbye."

"Erin…"

"You are going to try to share, you are not leaving me." Her voice was firm and steady although she felt like it would break. She was glad she had the strength to say those words though.

"If anything happens to either of us…"

"Do you feel ill, now with me?" She asked stopping him from continuing, "With us about to…" She couldn't say the word, so she gestured between them making him snicker only having her squint angrily at him. He nodded and bit his lip. "Do you feel ill?"

Vlad shook his head, he honestly wasn't feeling anything other than the emotions he held for her. "No."

A soft smile covered her features, "Then you're already working together. Both of you are here with me like I always said you were." She kissed his neck making him close his eyes.

Vlad responded almost immediately to her gesture, he bit the skin at the hollow of her throat making her moan. That was the first time she'd responded in such a way, he smiled, kissing the temporary marks there. This time he wasn't repulsed at the marks, her reaction had made sure of that. He felt his heart swell, she trusted him to know he wouldn't bite her using his fangs. She did love him.

"Stop smirking." She whispered huskily against his hair, her breath caressing his scalp.

"I'm not." He answered kissing his way up to her jaw.

"I can feel it." She answered, she knew she was right from the laughter she felt reverberating under her fingers as she gripped his shoulders tightly at the sensations that were playing across her skin. It felt like lightning surging through her veins and she didn't want him to stop at all.

She growled as he pulled away, he moved until he hovered over the lower half of her body. He lowered his hands to her jeans, slowly pushing them from her; Erin lifted her hips so he could remove them easier. Once the jeans were completely removed he travelled back up her body to her lips, letting his hand glide along the soft skin of her thigh. "This isn't goodbye?" She wanted him to confirm it.

"It isn't goodbye." He assured her, he felt her relax completely into him. "I love you."

Erin smiled gently at him, "I love you both too." Then she let him take complete control over her and them.

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Vlad moved slowly, watching as she slept next to him. He kissed her bare shoulder lightly, freezing as she muttered something in her sleep. Even with his sensitive hearing he couldn't understand what she'd said. He draped the black, leather cape over her, hoping that it would provide her with the warmth she needed. He grinned as he saw her fingers emerge from underneath to grip the collar of the cape.

He'd memorised her entire body, every part of her that made her sigh or moan. What she did and didn't like and most importantly that she loved *him*, if this didn't work at least he had that.

He promised he'd try his best to share for her but he didn't want her to witness it.

He quickly pulled on his jeans and shirt, moving away from her. He heard something, only to turn and see her shifting reaching out for him. He waited not daring to move, he hoped she wouldn't wake at not finding him next to her. After a few nerve wracking moments she settled back down.

He moved a few metres away from her.

He leaned back against the ground and closed his eyes. He felt the gravel digging into his back, refusing to let it bother him in the least.

It was now or never as he concentrated on working with his other half rather than fighting it.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	30. Touch

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Please let me know what you think. Have I included everything you want to see?_

Chapter 30: Touch

The sound of something scraping along the floor made Erin twist on the floor, she darted upwards fearing a wolf or mutt had entered the ruins, the cape dropped downwards to pool at her waist. Then she noticed that there was something missing from beside her.

She turned to see Vlad clawing at the stones as his body arched up in pure agony. Erin threw the cape to the side; she shivered in the cold air as she felt it gust across her skin and making it goose bump.

Erin raced towards him and knelt at his head, pulling it into her lap unlike before she could see his eyes darting back and forth under his eyelids – REM that was something at least. She stroked his cheeks, trying to stop his face from contorting in pain. He thrashed about on the floor. Erin knew what he'd done; he'd tried to do this alone. "You're okay." She pressed the most delicate kiss to his forehead, desperate to sooth him, letting her lips linger there. "You're safe with me." Slowly his body ceased thrashing and began to shake violently instead. It was a slight comfort though that his reaction had lessened.

Erin hated seeing him in pain; she was just annoyed with him trying this while she was asleep.

His fists clenched and released constantly before they suddenly halted without warning at exactly the same time his eyes stopped moving.

Erin felt her heart stop; she only hoped that this was a good thing. She soon had her answer so she wasn't left in limbo for too long.

His eyes opened only to focus on the concerned ones of his girlfriend. He knew he was in trouble from the way her eyebrows were raised beneath her fringe.

"You idiot." She whispered, kissing his hair lightly.

He shivered, "I didn't want you to watch and I didn't want to hurt you." He knew there would be some thrashing involved, she was only lucky he hadn't hurt her accidentally. He could have easily snapped one of her bones with the slightest knock of his hand. His forehead glistened with sweat, he watched as she shook as the cold permeated her bones. "You stupid slayer," He muttered and Erin definitely knew which Vlad was in front of her. "You'll catch something like that." Erin looked down realising that nothing was covering her at all, she'd just seen him there and was desperate to help him she hadn't dressed at all.

She looked at him with a hard glare, "I was more worried about you." Vlad reached across for the discarded cape and wrapped it around the both of them; she knew it would reach around them. He'd wrapped it around her when she'd flown often enough.

"I'm a vampire!" He said as an explanation making her laugh, "You're not. I'm not losing you by having you catch something deadly like…" He trailed off realising that he didn't know any breather diseases.

Erin shrugged, not that he could see it underneath the cape. "I don't get ill."

Vlad shook his head, a blink thrown in showing he didn't believe her. "Every breather gets ill." He remembered Robin having the flu and Chloe getting colds.

"Not me." She smirked at him, "Ryan doesn't either, well until he went through his transformation."

Vlad decided to not latch onto that topic of conversation, he didn't want to upset her although he knew Ryan still loved her. "Don't slayers get ill?"

"I never thought to check, if me and Ryan don't they probably don't either." Vlad couldn't contest that, he'd never seen Jonno ill but back then they hadn't really associated with each other, Jonno had been far too busy trying to slay his family.

Thinking of Jonno the deadline was up for them holding the slayers off of Erin's back. He winced as he realised that he hadn't really done anything to prevent it.

"You don't have to try and do everything on your own." She sighed, "That's what I'm here for remember." Vlad nodded and pulled her closer to him. "Did it work?" She asked softly. She felt him shake his head against her hair. "Maybe if I'm here then it might work." They were both stronger with her around; he'd admitted that before, not ignoring the fact that with her they were both in control at the same time.

"I love you." He whispered against her hair.

She brought her hand up above her as she moved her head to rest in the crook of his shoulder so she could look at him. "I know." She groaned as she moved away from him taking the cape with her, she reached across towards her clothes and put them on, still hiding under the cape as she did so. He couldn't help but grin at her modesty, he thought it was endearing. "What?" She asked.

He shook his head lightly, "Nothing." He answered; he had a secret smile on his face. Erin looked down at the cloak and realised why he was acting that way. She threw the cloak from her and continued to dress in front of him. She didn't know why she did that anyway – habit perhaps.

He stood and sped behind her making her jump at the sonic boom he made. Erin leaned back into him. "If you try again I want to be there." She told him firmly, "You haven't got long." She was referring to the sweat that had gathered on his brow, it was slowly running into his eyes.

"I know." He answered, "I can feel it getting worse." He whispered. "It has to be done now."

"Just what we were thinking." A new voice spoke.

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Erin was the protective one this time, without a moment's hesitation she pushed Vlad behind her, protecting him from his sister and tutor. She saw the vial Ingrid held in her hand, there was no way that that was going to come anywhere near Vlad.

They weren't going to touch him unless they drained her first. She felt an arm wrap around her stomach holding her to Vlad. She relaxed against his chest but her muscles were still tense.

"How did you find us?" Erin asked, she wasn't going to move or appear scared as she spoke.

Bertrand gestured to her shoulder, "Bandages." Erin looked down, she'd forgotten about her shoulder she should have known that Bertrand would be able to work out where she'd got the injury and how she'd gotten it. "Four claw marks, which meant you were somewhere in wolf territory."

That seemed to spark Ingrid off, she was playing the responsible older sister for once. "Do you know how many treaties you're breaking Vlad?" Erin looked at Vlad, she didn't know anything about any treaty.

"I don't care."

"We do." Ingrid spat at her brother, "You know that no vampire is allowed in wolf territory unless they ask for permission."

"Then why are you here?"

"Vlad." Erin whispered and he quietened. Bertrand's eyes widened as Vlad did as she asked, she hadn't had to say anything other than his name for him to get him to be quiet. "We're breaking a treaty by being here?" Erin asked, her tone didn't have an ounce of humour in it, instead it was dark.

"It was the safest place I knew away from them." He answered, Erin didn't want to have an argument so she simply nodded and let it drop.

She suddenly found Vlad's attention diverted from her as he heard a small popping sound. His head whipped around to face his sister.

Ingrid had lowered the syringe into the vial breaking the seal on it, drawing the liquid up in front of Vlad. Her brother hissed partly in hatred and partly in fear of what was coming.

She'd taken advantage of him being distracted. "You know you can't stay in control, we need the other Vlad back." Ingrid reminded him.

"You never gave me a chance."

Ingrid wanted to answer him back at that, but she wasn't sure whether insulting Erin would be the right thing to do so for once she held her tongue.

Bertrand advanced to push Erin out of the way to get to Vlad but Vlad threw his hand out sending Bertrand careening into a pillar. He let out a gasp as his body arched backwards as he hit it. "Leave her alone." Vlad spat.

Ingrid watched as if following a ball flying through the air. She wanted to rush to his side but she couldn't ignore Vlad. Ingrid charged for her brother. He sidestepped easily, twisting around before she could try again. Ingrid tried to lash out but her punches were more like slaps and he dodged them easily.

He decided to throw some of his own, promising himself that this time he wouldn't let Erin stop him. The landed and Ingrid doubled over. She should have known better than to take him on herself. She saw only one thing she could do. She charged at him.

She clumsily knocked him backwards, she'd never had the training Vlad had or even the slayer training that Erin would've had – she had to use her wits instead. A distracting part of her wondered if Bertrand would be willing to train her.

Pure luck was on her side as he felt his head crack against the flagstones. Stars swam before his eyes as he tried to see clearly once more.

Ingrid took her chance and rolled her brother over. He threw her off him, Ingrid skidded away from him and across the floor. He placed his hands on the floor as if he was about to perform push ups, he managed to get six inches from the floor before being pushed back down. His stomach coming into contact with the floor harshly making him gasp and his teeth jolt against each other.

His arms were pinned at his lower back and a knee in the middle of his spine holding him in place. He threw a glance to Erin, thankful that she wasn't being restrained.

It was hardly fair his restraint – there were two of them holding him down.

He struggled against them but his centre of gravity was all wrong, he could only rock from side to side.

"Now Ingrid." He heard Bertrand hiss between gritted teeth as he struggled to hold the young vampire down.

Vlad felt the needle being pressed into his neck, between his top vertebrae and skull. He twisted, feeling the needle pull at the skin and muscle, it scraped along the bone.

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Erin couldn't let this happen to Vlad, she saw Bertrand nod to Ingrid to depress the plunger. "You don't need to do this." Erin shouted at them, "There's another way. I know there is." Ingrid froze, she turned to look at the young slayer. "Please, just listen to me."

"It's a trick," Bertrand hissed at her.

Erin wasn't above begging, "It isn't, there's another way that won't paralyse him. Just let him try."

"What other way?" Bertrand spat angrily.

"Let him share, neither side will be more dominant. He'll be like the Vlad you know only more confident, like the one who's been around us for the last few months. He won't be as unpredictable as before." She didn't know it for certain but she wasn't promising anything either.

"It's never been done before." Ingrid spoke, echoing Vlad's words from before.

"What have you got to lose by letting him try?" Erin asked. Bertrand and Ingrid shared a look, they didn't have anything to lose by letting him try.

Ingrid nodded, she withdrew the syringe from Vlad's neck and immediately she felt him relax. If this worked then she would be glad that she hadn't had to paralyse her little brother. She stood slowly before speeding towards Erin, Bertrand followed her as quickly as he could.

Erin did the opposite and ran towards Vlad. She helped him stand slowly. Vlad straightened out his shirt, his vain side wanting to remove all of the creases. Erin smiled at his actions that had once irritated her to no end before spinning him around to look at his neck. There was a cut there about an inch wide in total from where he'd resisted Ingrid trying to inject him.

"It's fine." She answered with relief. She watched as his shoulder dropped at her assessment. "You need to try now." She looked at Bertrand and Ingrid, Vlad nodded and settled down. "Come on." She whispered as she grasped his hand and sat him down on the floor.

Vlad crossed his legs, he didn't lie down this time. He looked up at her, uncertainty in his eyes. Erin leaned down and kissed him slowly, when they broke apart he asked: "If it doesn't work…"

"I won't let them hurt either of you." She promised him. "Just try." She whispered as she settled opposite him so their knees touched.

He looked down at where their legs touched, "I don't think you should be so close." His voice had sadness in it, he didn't want to accidentally hurt her.

"You won't hurt me." She reminded him, she knew he wouldn't. "My being close will help and that's all I want – to help."

He knew he wouldn't be able to persuade her otherwise. She was just as stubborn as both sides of him, it was probably one of the reasons why they were so well matched. "Okay."

Her warm, bright smile was the last thing he saw as he closed his eyes.

He cleared his thoughts and concentrated on working with his other half to share their body.

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Nothing happened at first but after ten minutes things started to happen.

His hands tightened on his jeans and Erin thought he was going to rip them to shreds then his whole body tensed his head thrown backwards in a silent scream.

"Concentrate Vlad, you can do this." She whispered to him, she saw him nod. He could still hear her which was a good sign. "Come back to me together." She wanted more than anything to reach out and touch him more intimately but she knew that could be dangerous.

He began to slowly rock back and forth before his arms stretched outwards. Then his hands balled into fists, tight fists where his fingernails dug into his skin. He would have drawn blood if he were mortal from the force he was using. His arms, lowered back to his sides and he arched upwards once more.

In a matter of seconds Vlad's who'd body seemed to change and he relaxed his head dropping to a more natural position.

His eyes suddenly snapped open making her jump; they were completely blank as she looked at him. She couldn't see either side of him reflected in them. Her heart began to race as she wondered if she'd lost both halves of him.

He stilled completely taking slow deep breaths, this time it was different. He was calmer and more relaxed.

"Erin!" Ingrid called out partly in concern as she saw the slayer getting closer to Vlad.

"He won't hurt me." Although the same couldn't be said for them. Erin knelt beside him, drawing herself up to his height once again, keeping a wary eye on Ingrid and Bertrand. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, his eyes darting around unable to focus on anything. "Headache's gone."

"That's good, isn't it?" Erin wanted it to be positive.

"Yeah." He spoke quietly, he moved head back and forth to check it wasn't due to the position he was holding it in. There was no pain at all. He concentrated, he didn't feel ill or any of the symptoms he'd been suffering from before. He was suffering from the aftereffects of what had just happened.

"Which Vlad is in control?" Ingrid asked from behind Erin.

Erin ducked down lower, to look into Vlad's eyes. There was still a harsh edge in his blue-green eyes but it was softer, more along the lines of the Vlad she knew the most. "The normal Vlad."

"So it worked." Ingrid whispered, the process had worked. The right Vlad was in control of her brother.

Erin fixed her with a harsh glare, "I said there was another choice." She was thankful Ingrid had listened and let them try this rather than using the serum straight away.

"How do we know he's not pretending like before?" Bertrand asked, pulling Ingrid backwards towards him just in case.

"Because I know can tell the difference." She snapped at him, she'd had more practice than any of them. "I'm not lying and he's not pretending. This is the Vlad you know."

Ingrid seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as she dropped the needle to the floor and trod on it, Bertrand didn't seem to share her sense of relief, he still gripped his needle just in case it was all a trick.

Erin tried to search for the Vlad she'd spent the last week with, she could see a glimmer of him in there but she wanted to know for certain. She kissed him lightly on the lips, not surprised that he didn't respond after everything he'd just been through. "Is he okay?"

She thought she saw him bristle for a moment but it could have been her eyes playing tricks on her. "He's still in here Erin and we're both sharing." He half spat at her. Ingrid looked at Erin in complete confusion.

Erin shook her head, Vlad was tired and his other half must be equally as tired from the way he'd been the dominant Vlad all the while.

Erin gently grasped his arm to hoist him up, he accepted her help – his legs felt stiff. He had to physically straighten them into position, his eyes closed as they ached. He raised his head, breathing unnecessarily before slowly opening his eyes. Immediately his gaze fixed on the ripped shoulder of her shirt and his expression darkened. Seeing the damage to her shirt seemed to trigger something in him.

Vlad pulled his arm away from her as if burned. Erin was surprised at his action, unprepared she stumbled forward with the force he drew his arm back away from her.

"Vlad?" She didn't understand why he looked at her in such a way; she went brush her hand across his neck and his eyes blackened into the darkest abysses.

He jumped away from the contact. He leaned forward, his fangs glistening as they reflected the limited light as they appeared out of nowhere. Erin stood her ground refusing to be intimidated. His gaze narrowed and his nostrils flared.

A look of pure hatred crossed his face as he looked at his girlfriend. Erin shivered under the intensity of it, hurt flooding her.

His voice was low as a command slipped through his lips. "Don't ever touch me again Erin."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_P.S. I apologise for making some people cry with my last posted chapters, I was flooded with PMs._

_Thanks for reading._


	31. Reason

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

Chapter 31: Reason

"Vlad, please…" Erin asked quietly, trying to understand why he was acting that way, why he looked at her with such hatred.

She tried to touch his shoulder but he drew further away from her, he wouldn't let her touch him at all. He sped across the room. "Stay away from me." He growled. Ingrid tried to move forward but Vlad's head snapped around to face her. His face was twisted in a sneer, "Don't think I'm forgetting what you tried to do to me Ingrid." Vlad spat. He couldn't believe his own sister would consider doing that to him, it was worse than being trapped in his own mind.

"I thought you said this was the Vlad we knew." Bertrand hissed at Erin, he wasn't impressed if she'd gotten it wrong.

Erin knew it was, there was no denying it. His other side was inside him, "It is." She looked at him, "He's just angry."

"I have a right to be!" He yelled at her, "After everything you've all done to me, I'm allowed to be angry." He was more than angry he was hurt.

Erin looked at him in confusion, "Vlad, what have I done?" Erin had constantly tried to help him, she couldn't think of anything she'd done.

He looked at her in disbelief, she honestly didn't know what she'd done? He felt the fury bubbling up inside him like a volcano waiting to explode. He thought she loved him, she was happy enough with his reflection more than him.

"I was in here for two months screaming for someone to notice. You left me in there." He gestured to his mind, "You were more concerned with that book than helping me escape this prison. Thanks to you I have to share my body with him for the rest of my unlife." It wasn't the most ideal solution and his other half hadn't been kidding when he'd said that they weren't looking forward to doing that.

"Whether you like it or not you need each other Vlad…"

"I needed you and you ignored me. You preferred him over me." His eyes showed how much he was fighting not to turn into a quivering mass in front of her.

Erin scoffed and shook her head. He was jealous. He was actually jealous of his other half, the half Erin had seen in him even before he'd absorbed the reflection. She'd seen it when he confronted the slayers and his father when they'd met, she'd seen it when he was tempted to leave her to burn. This was more permanent than a link through the mirror, she was annoyed with him for ignoring that. She could already see she was going to hate where this conversation was headed.

"If you remember Vlad I said I loved both of you. You couldn't have been deaf in there so don't even pretend you were." She snapped at him, drawing wide eyes from Ingrid and Bertrand. Vlad's eyes did the opposite – they narrowed. "I didn't say I preferred one over the other, I said I loved both of you… or would you have preferred that I like you the most."

Vlad decided to confirm a little of what she'd said. "I heard you Erin, every single word you said."

Erin couldn't believe they were actually having this conversation in front of Bertrand and Ingrid. She was flushed with embarrassment at something so personal and she was sure they felt uncomfortable too. Bertrand was nervously moving about – something she'd never seen him do before.

"Then you heard me say I love you." She repeated.

"You said it to him."

She pointed something out there and then, "If you remember I said I loved *you* first." She saw his eyes soften for the briefest of instants before hardening. This was clearly about more than who she said she loved. "What is this really about? Why do you suddenly hate me?"

His outburst couldn't be stopped, she wanted to know so he was going to tell her. "You slept with him!" Vlad shouted angrily at her. There were no words at the moment that could contain his anger and his disgust at himself. "He was your first, you were my girlfriend but you gave yourself to him." He felt resentful as stupid as it sounded.

Erin immediately felt offended at what he'd said, "Don't you dare try that on me!" She growled out slowly. She couldn't believe they were going to be having this conversation.

"I'm not trying anything…" he protested. His eyes weren't focussed on her though as he spoke. Erin's fists clenched at her side.

"Yes you are!" She answered. "I'm sure you were there the whole time."

"My body doesn't count." He snapped at her. "You knew he wasn't me. I actually thought you cared about me but I suppose you liked the thrill of being with him, after all girls like danger."

"*He* is *you*." Erin screamed back at him, her arms flailing wildly. If he wanted to make a distinction there was a very thin and blurred line between the two of them – now more than ever. "You could have taken control at any point, you've done it before." She stepped closer to him. He didn't back off this time and she certainly wasn't going to. "Do you want to know how I know you were both involved?"

This would be interesting, "How?"

Erin leaned back and folded her arms over her chest, a small smile crossed her lips. "If you weren't you would never have let him touch my neck. *Never*. Instead you let him, it wasn't a case of him being too strong – you let him do it." Her voice became quieter, "And do you think I would have let him do it if I didn't think you were there?" She took a chance and lifted her hand to his neck, stroking his skin lightly. "Everything I did," She paused, "Wasn't just for him it was for you. I could see you both when we were together and he said it just as much. I know it wasn't just words. He loved me because you love me."

Vlad jerked back away from her touch, hating himself for being drawn into it.

His next words came out as a snarl, "How can I love you after what you've done?"

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Ingrid let out a gasp at the ice in his words, she looked at her brother seeing no remorse in his eyes. This wasn't evil this was pure hurt – something that could be much worse.

Erin felt as if a knife had been plunged into her stomach, "Is this because you regret being with me now? You got what you wanted from me and don't want me anymore?" She snapped at him, her words being formed by the hurt she was feeling. Was he really just like all the other boys in the world?

"Of course not!" He shouted at her. It was never about getting sex, he wasn't like that.

"Then what am I supposed to think?" She asked, her voice breaking, she fought to keep it together. "I made love to both of you, not one or the other. Both of you. I gave my first time to both of you. I just wish you could see that. I wish I could prove it to you." It would make everything so much easier if she could.

"He made love to you, not me." Vlad answered lowly and as evenly as he could muster. Erin breathed heavily – her chest rising and falling – as she fought to keep her emotions in check and failing. Erin drew her arm back and brought it forwards with as much strength as she could muster. Vlad's face snapped to his left. He moved his jaw, feeling it click and crack back into place. She shook her hand, feeling pain flare through it. If she'd broken it then it was worth it.

"If that's what you really want to believe, I never thought you'd lie to me." She knew he was lying to her. His pride was damaged more than anything else. She couldn't help the next words that rolled off her lips as he cradled his cheek. "Maybe you need to really think who is the evil half of you."

His jaw set at that comment, "Ingrid take her back." Vlad commanded, Erin looked at Ingrid who seemed confused by her brother's actions but she nodded eager to get back into his good books concerning the stunt she knew she had to pull off soon.

Ingrid gently grasped Erin's arm and vanished with her.

Bertrand couldn't help himself, he needed to make it clear to Vlad exactly how he felt after that stunt. "She's a slayer! I said there was no place for feelings in your future. You let them get the better of you…"

"Shut up!" Vlad boomed, his voice dropping low. Bertrand moved back a fraction realising he'd encroached on Vlad's personal space. He bowed low in an apology. "You don't have any right to talk about my feelings. You're my tutor, you train me for becoming Grand High Vampire, you don't tell me how to feel. Is that clear?"

Bertrand bowed once more, lower than before. Vlad was hurting and a hurt vampire was more dangerous than any evil one that he'd come across before. "Yes."

With that Vlad shot up into the air, leaving the wolf territory far behind him.

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Ingrid shoved Erin away from her the moment they landed, Erin stumbled tripping as she fought to regain her balance on the old, uneven floorboards.

Ingrid was growing more and more confused at the Vlad they'd left behind. "Is that the real Vlad?"

"It's a mixture of the two." Erin answered, "But he's hurting at the moment." Erin folded her arms over her chest. "It's all my fault."

Ingrid let out a snort, "Yeah, what do you expect when you kept him caged in his own mind?"

Erin looked downwards, taking deep breaths. She honestly didn't think about how the other side of him would react when he was half in control again. "He's not going to forgive me is he?" Erin whispered to the air more than anyone else.

Ingrid gave a sigh, she couldn't believe she was about to do this. She was going to be nice. "Vlad's never been in a relationship before…"

"I haven't either." Erin protested, Ingrid actually gave her a sympathetic look – she was sure she was seeing things.

"So he's confused, you know when he's evil he gives into what he wants. You were part of that, I don't think he can forgive himself for that." She paused, knowing Vlad he'd think he took advantage of her. It wasn't a regret it was his pride. "You accepted the part of him he can't. I think that's what he can't deal with. If it's true that when he was with you it was both sides of him…"

"It was." Erin knew that without a doubt, both sides of him had been with her. She could see it in his eyes and she'd told him the reasons why she believed so as well.

"Then being permanently like this will scare him. Vlad's always run away from anything to do with vampires." Ingrid told her and Erin nodded, he'd run away when he'd absorbed his full reflection. "But I don't know if he'll ever come around."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	32. Brother

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I really hope this fic isn't too much of a disappointment. I've never written anything like this before._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 32: Brother

The throne room wasn't as unoccupied as Vlad thought. Almost the moment he landed he was assaulted verbally by the Count.

"Where have you been?" The Count snarled at his son, one long figure gesturing towards him. Vlad rolled his eyes and tried to push past the Count only to find the doorway blocked. "If you were with that slayer…"

Vlad's fangs snapped down at the mention of Erin, "I'm not a kid anymore!" Vlad shouted angrily. "I'm tired of you telling me what to do." He was tired of everything that had happened. He wanted to be on his own for a while. He didn't want to be near anyone.

The Count looked at his son smugly, "The law says you are. You still have two and a half months until you come of age until then I'm the one in charge."

"What happens after?" Vlad asked, "Are you going to let me be in charge?"

The Count froze as Vlad asked him, he knew Vlad had no intention of letting him stay in charge. "I know what's best for you Vladimir, I know that more than anyone."

Vlad nodded slowly, "So it was better for me that the wrong son was in charge of me for two months?" Malice was in his tone. He resented the fact only Erin had noticed which vampire he was.

The Count froze, "What are you talking about?"

Vlad turned to Bertrand who was actually looking sheepish, "You didn't tell him?" He was surprised that Bertrand and Ingrid had kept it to themselves – it was suspicious to say the least. "I don't think you know what's best for me anymore."

"How dare you…"

"I've grown up Dad and you missed it as usual." He was bitter, just like before. This new sharing was making him more confident in expressing what he really thought although he wasn't as aggressive as before. "Believe me you won't have a fraction of my power when I take over." He promised him. The Count gulped before trying to speak but no words came out. He slowly lowered his hand back down to his side.

"I suppose you'll give it to Erin."

"As you said, our relationship can't go anywhere." His voice cracked as he spoke.

The Count clapped his hands sarcastically once. "I'm glad you finally see that."

Vlad hissed in response, making the Count step back in fear of his son. "Just leave me alone."

With that Vlad sped through the other door in the room before anyone could stop him. He just wanted to get away from everyone.

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Ryan knocked lightly on his sister's door; he heard the movement suddenly stop. He knew his sister was pretending not to be in there – she used to do it when they were children being pushed from one slayer foster home to another.

He knew technically he had to ask permission from his Mistress to visit Erin but his loyalty to his sister came above all others. The loyalty of blood was hard to ignore. Something inside his head told him that his sister needed him and he wasn't going to ignore that after everything she'd tried to do for him to stop his transformation.

He pushed open the door to see Erin frozen with her back to the door, refusing to move. He sped behind Erin and placed a hand on her shoulder making her jump. Erin pushed the hand from her shoulder, lashing out at whoever had dared to touch her.

Ryan threw his hands up in front of him, showing that he meant no harm. He expected his sister to smile but she looked terrible. She looked as if she'd been crying, her eyes were red and puffy, her nose was bright crimson, her cheeks held angry blotches and her make-up was streaked. Erin looked completely heartbroken; there wasn't a trace of her usual happiness in her. She looked thoroughly miserable.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." She managed, her voice higher than usual.

"What's he done?" He immediately asked, looking over his sister. "Has he hurt you?" She shook her head, he hadn't hurt her – physically at least. Something seemed to trigger in his mind. "Please tell me you didn't Erin…" Ryan begged his sister. Erin looked down, her eyes filling with guilt. Ryan knew that look, he'd seen it many times in seventeen years. "You slept with him!"

"Say it louder I don't think the Count heard you." She muttered darkly, casting a glare at her brother.

"Are you crazy?" He demanded before another fear crossed him. "Did he pressure you?"

"Vlad would never do that." Erin assured him, she knew that for a fact. "We agreed together."

Ryan gripped her shoulders, he saw her wince and loosened his grip on her. "Did you even think about what might happen?"

"Vampires and humans can't have children." Erin told him firmly and Ryan seemed to relax a fraction. "Don't judge me Ryan." She begged as she saw the look he was giving her. "I haven't made a mistake. I don't regret it at all."

"You're seventeen Erin, he's the future Grand High Vampire and you're a slayer did you honestly think anything could come of it?" He knew neither kind would accept it, they would be a laughing stock.

Erin pushed her brother back. "You might be my older brother by ten minutes but that doesn't mean you get to tell me how to live my life Ryan!"

"I never thought that you would do something so stupid..."

"I love him." Erin snapped, cutting him off. "I love a vampire; I thought he loved me back. I was wrong." The moment she shrugged she felt the dam break. Her lip quivered as she tried to hold it all in.

Ryan pulled her to him, feeling her chin coming to rest on his shoulder. He felt the tears beginning to drip down onto his shirt. His arms wrapped around her shoulders, playing with the torn hem there. "I think he loves you too."

She shook her head, "He hates me." Erin sounded so broken as she said those words that it made Ryan's mind up for him.

He pulled back from his sister before she could stop him. "I'm talking to him."

"Ryan no!" Erin begged as she watched her brother glide towards the door, she tried frantically to grab his arm to stop him but he was far too fast for her.

"I'm not letting him hurt you." He told her, "I don't care if he's Ingrid's brother of the future vampire king. He hurt you, vampire or not he's not getting away with that."

"Ryan just leave him alone."

Ryan's fangs dropped making Erin jump back, "He doesn't get to do that to you."

He slammed the door shut as he left leaving Erin alone in the all too quiet room.

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Ryan didn't even bother to knock as he stormed into Vlad's room, he threw the door back with such force that it loosened on its hinges.

Vlad jumped out of his coffin and stood menacingly at the foot of it, his whole body coiled ready to pounce. He wanted to be left on his own, he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Get out!" Vlad roared at him, his fangs lowered and his eyes black. Ryan swept his gaze over the young vampire, disgust clear on his face to see.

"Do you even care about what you've done to her?"

Vlad immediately didn't want to discuss this at all with Ryan. "I haven't done anything and this has nothing to do with you."

"Erin is my sister, we've been through more than you could imagine."

"I don't know about that." Vlad muttered, they hadn't been through what he'd been forced to endure since the day he was born.

Ryan narrowed his eyes at the vampire, "You used her to get what you wanted then tossed her aside." His words were angrily forced through clenched teeth.

"I didn't use her." He whispered, he could never use her. He could never do that to her.

"That's what it looks like to me." Ryan was deliberately baiting him and it seemed that Vlad was falling for it. "She thinks you hate her." He didn't answer, instead he turned away from him. Ryan saw that Vlad was distressed at Erin thinking that. "We don't have a family, we only have each other." Ryan snapped at Vlad, "Erin loves you and she's always been terrified of losing the people she loves. We lost our parents, she lost me and now she's lost you."

Vlad had only told her that because he was angry, he wanted to turn his feelings off and on but he knew he couldn't. He'd shouted at her because he wanted her to understand that she'd hurt him too often and this was the worst. Worse than finding out that she was a slayer. He hated feeling jealous of himself.

"She hasn't lost me." Vlad whispered quietly. "She's never told me anything about her past…" He'd told her everything about his but he didn't know much about hers, he had to find out from the Guild that they were orphans.

"Because she thinks that if she does then you'll reject her for it. She never told you she was a slayer because she didn't want you to reject her but you did." Ryan knew that, there was no other reason that Erin would be at the Guild or any other reason she'd ask him to deliver a message to Vlad instead of doing it herself. "We've been bounced around in slayer care since we were born, most of that we were housed at one of the Guild HQs. It's hard to get slayers to adopt twins and the Guild refused to let us be separated."

Ryan looked at Vlad, his eyes studying him closely. He could see the difference in the vampire in front of him. He was softer and more easily offended than his counterpart, "You can't even tell you're different."

Vlad waved it off. "You knew the other me."

"Yeah, but you're still different. If you ever loved my sister then just stop being a prat and sort this out. Don't hurt her anymore." His voice was low as it came out as a warning, he would slay Vlad if Erin was hurt anymore. His brotherly instinct was to protect his sister and while he didn't approve of her sleeping with Vlad, Vlad made her happy.

"You don't know anything…"

Vlad honestly didn't understand what he had with Erin, "I know Erin's never become attached to anyone. You're the first person she's ever felt comfortable with other than me. I've never seen her happier than when she's with you. Don't lose that."

Ryan didn't say anymore, he left the room leaving Vlad to his thoughts.

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Vlad slid down the wall, his head in his hands as he tried to sort out his thoughts.

He still loved her, he couldn't change that but he'd hurt her. He knew that. Erin had hurt him though. She was right he was jealous of his other half and she was right he'd been involved with her every step of the way. What hurt him though was that he wanted to be the sole vampire in control when they made love for the first time, he hadn't bet on sharing that experience with his other half. He was angry at that. Erin had seen through him as she always did and that didn't help his pride.

Her actions had damaged him though, she'd left him the prison of him mind while she let the other half of him roam because of that flapping book. He never cared about that or his so called destiny so it hurt more to know that she put them first and not him. He understood why she did it and if it had been his sister he probably would have done the same but that realisation didn't lessen the feeling any.

His door opened once more – slower and more hesitantly than before – and he looked up to see the curious face of his younger brother – he half expected it to be Ryan again.

Wolfie bounded across the room coming to a halt in front of Vlad, his jacket was down around his elbows.

"Vlad?" Wolfie asked, seeing the strange wetness in his brother's eyes – he knew what it meant but Vlad never cried around him, he never cried around anyone.

Vlad tried to put as much cheer into his voice as possible but failed. "Hey."

"Have you fallen out with Erin?" Wolfie asked him quietly. Vlad opened his mouth to speak but no words came out, his mouth just moved soundlessly. "I thought you loved her." For a four year old he was perceptive. Vlad could only nod. He screwed his eyes up, pressing the heels of his palms into his

Wolfie was too young to say anything that might bring some comfort to his brother so instead he did the only think he could – he gave him affection.

Wolfie didn't say anything he just barrelled into Vlad's chest, Vlad gripped him tightly. Wolfie turned his head on Vlad's chest, closing his eyes as he felt his brother wrap his arms around him.

Vlad buried his face into his sibling's hair and let his tears fall for the first time in the presence of someone else.

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Vlad heard a noise along the corridor, he lifted his head from the coffin he glanced around, Wolfie was fast asleep along his side. Carefully he pushed his younger brother to one side, using his arms he hoisted him to lie more securely in the centre of the coffin, kissing his forehead as he did so. Wolfie let out a small yap as Vlad smoothed his hair.

As quietly as he could he avoided the creaky floorboards in his room so not to wake his brother. He glanced back with a smile as he cautiously turned the handle on the door and slipped out of the room.

He closed the door behind him only to see Erin closing hers. His attention was drawn to what was in her hand – her rucksack. He slowly raised his gaze back up to her. She seemed to be frozen to the spot, unprepared to face him.

"Where are you going?" He asked her, staring at her wearing her thick coat. He felt his coat clench at the sight of her red, puffy eyes. She looked thoroughly heartbroken.

Erin pushed past him, not taking any care at all. Vlad stumbled backwards, his back hitting the wall. It hurt her to push him but she had to be away from him. "It's about time I sorted out my problems for myself. I'm dealing with the first one now."

He felt his heart breaking as he realised what she meant.

She was leaving.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	33. Monster

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_This chapter took forever to type…_

Chapter 33: Monster

Vlad watched her walk along the corridor, with every step she took away from him he felt his stomach plummet further and sickness build.

Erin would never have left like this, but then he hadn't told her that he couldn't love her anymore before.

He couldn't let her go like this.

His heart was clenching as he heard her footfalls on the floor, they were heavy and deliberate.

He sped after her, jogging at a breather pace so he didn't startle her. Erin heard him and picked up her face, reaching the banister of the stairs and walking down them as fast as she could.

The ancient stair creaked under her weight, "Erin, wait." He called trying to get her to stop but she refused to she just kept on walking.

"I'm leaving Vlad." She wasn't even looking at him as she said those words, she just stared straight ahead. She didn't trust herself to look at him and not fall to pieces.

"Why?" The word slipped from his lips.

That made her stop; she turned around to face him nearly losing her balance as she did so. "You didn't just ask me that?!" She shouted at him making him wince, normally she'd regret that but in that moment she didn't. She shook her head angrily before turning away again and continuing her journey.

Vlad had never seen Erin like this before, she was angry, bitter, resentful and pain filled.

He wanted her to understand what he'd meant. He didn't think he'd actually drive her from there. "Erin…"

"No Vlad." She shouted behind her, she didn't want to hear it anymore. She wanted to get away from him, get away from the pain she was feeling. She felt like her heart had been ripped from her body, that someone had forced their hand into her chest and pulled it out not caring about the pain they would inflict. She couldn't be around him with the reminder of what they had been.

"Are you going to come back?" He sounded like a small child as he said that.

She hesitated in her step, coming to a halt but she didn't turn this time, "Once I go through those doors I'm not coming back." She had no intention of coming back at all, he'd hurt her and this was the worst possible way that he could have done it.

Vlad said the first thing that came into his mind. "You don't have to leave." He'd never ask for her to leave him.

"Don't I?" She snapped at him. This time she faced him once again, raw pain across her face. "Do you realise how much your words hurt?" She demanded watching him look down, "They were like a knife cutting through me. I thought you felt the same about me but you really do hate me. I don't regret being with you even if you regret being with me." She paused. She let out a choked laugh. "The one thing I thought you'd be angry with me over is the fact I was a slayer."

"Oh," His voice changed pitch twice as he dragged out that short word, "Don't even go there." His voice was more of a warning than anything else.

"Why not? Why can't we get everything out in the open?" His jaw snapped shut with a click at her words. "I don't keep secrets to hurt you, I keep them because it's painful for me to talk about my past." She took a deep breath, "I walked in here and I saw how much your dad loves you. I've never had that neither has Ryan. I felt for you with what your mother did to you and what Ingrid keeps doing to you, I know that disappointment when you love someone and they only care for you." She thought of the foster programme being pushed from home to home. "I was jealous of you Vlad. That's my only other secret. I was jealous that you have a family. I only have Ryan."

There it was finally out, her last secret – if it could be called that.

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He stared at her dumbstruck as she walked away, he never thought of her keeping things from him because she couldn't bear to speak of them. He just hated people keeping things from him. Robin had always reacted badly to what he said and thought that he'd been forced to keep his emotions and thoughts to himself. Erin had allowed him to say them and he felt free.

When he focussed on her again he noticed she was in the foyer and making her way out towards the archway. He couldn't let her go. He couldn't let her leave and never see her again.

He ran after her again and sped in front of her just as she reached the edge of the arch. She wasn't getting away from him that easily. Vlad grabbed her by the arms and forced her to come to a halt in front of him.

She tried to wrench herself free from his grip but he wouldn't let her move. He wasn't hurting her he was just holding her in place. "Leave me alone Vlad."

"I'm not letting you go." He spoke firmly, he wasn't letting her walk out of his unlife.

"I'm not staying here and the only way you can make me is if you bite me. I don't think you will." She tried to push him away from her but she couldn't reach him. He was standing in such a way no part of her body could force him away from her. She tried another tactic. "You said that you don't love me."

"I said 'how can I' that's a different thing." He couldn't love her, at least he tried not to. His nature was supposed to be heartless but all of him loved her. The worst part of it all was that he understood why she'd done it. He'd risked his life to save his sister and family more than once, sometimes at the risk of his entire family.

"How is it different?" She questioned, she could feel her throat becoming thick with emotion. "I know I hurt you with what I did. I didn't want to leave you in there." Erin admitted quietly, "I hated it but I knew you needed him and I needed him for Ryan. You will never know how sorry I am for that. But can you tell me that there was another way to get you out of there without paralysing you?"

He ignored that, "If you'd have done it the moment you realised…"

"Would you have been able to deal with Sethius? You'd already opened the book and my blood was on the pages before you'd returned. Can you honestly tell me that you would have been able to deal with Sethius if you hadn't had him inside you?" Her voice was quiet as she challenged him to deny it. She saw him take a relaxing breath and look down.

"You fell for that part of me." He whispered, her brow furrowed as he sounded more awed than anything else. It was as if he didn't think it was possible that anyone could love that half of him.

"Because I gave him a chance. He didn't hurt me Vlad you know that. Neither of you could ever hurt me physically intentionally." Erin remembered what Ingrid had said. "Look you're angry because I accepted you in a way you can't yourself." He bristled at her words and she knew they definitely must have truth in them.

He went to fold his arms over his chest but remembered how he was holding her. "I've accepted that part of myself."

She knew that wasn't true, "By sharing with him it doesn't mean you accept what you are. You've accepted him being inside you but you haven't accepted him as the final piece that makes you a vampire. You told me yourself you never wanted to be a vampire. You told me that when you were with me it was easier, you meant it was easier to accept who you were."

Vlad shook his head, she didn't understand. It wasn't just about accepting himself. "I'm a monster Erin, now more than ever."

Erin couldn't believe that. "Not to me."

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His eyes fluttered to hers at her words, he could tell she wasn't lying. She honestly couldn't see the monster in him. When Erin looked at him she saw Vlad, she couldn't believe that he could be a monster. He cared about his family and didn't drink human blood. He was stronger than them, no other vampire could do that.

Vlad looked at her before deciding on one course of action. He pulled her to him roughly, crushing his lips against hers. Erin froze at first and her bag dropped to the floor with a thump her fingers suddenly limp, before she placed a hand on his chest that trailed up to his cheek as he kissed her. She stroked the soft skin underneath her fingers before moving it to the back of his neck and curling her fingers in the dark hair that rested there.

He pulled away with a gasp as he felt his back burning. He let out a cry of pain. Erin opened her eyes as she saw his back smoking.

"Stupid vampire." She muttered pulling him inside the shelter of the shadows that the school archway offered. The sun was coming around in the courtyard – it was the reason she'd chosen now to leave. No one could follow her in the daylight. She gently but frantically patted his back removing all signs of smoke.

She couldn't believe he'd done that without a care to the sun that could kill him. Her heart swelled at the possibility that he really did want her to stay and would do anything to make her stay.

"I love you." He whispered, his eyes watering from a mixture of the physical and emotional pain he was feeling. "I don't want you to go. I can't let you go." He sounded broken, he hadn't actually thought she'd leave him. He didn't think he'd pushed her that far.

Erin tried to pull away, angry with his words, but he caught her wrist and held her in place. "After everything you said… I need to go."

"I was angry…"

"They must have come from somewhere." Everything that was said in anger – no matter who it came from – had a grain of truth in them. She waited a few moments waiting for him to break the silence before deciding to ask him herself. "Vlad why…"

"Because I wanted to be your first!" He shouted at her angrily. Erin suddenly softened at his words, she stepped towards him and ran up his arm to grasp his jaw lightly. "I lied okay." He admitted softly, "It was me making love to you as well but I wanted to do it without him in my mind." Erin felt herself becoming lighter with his words, even though they were shy.

"You idiot." She whispered, his gaze snapped up to her amused one. "You are my first." She ran the backs of her fingers over his jaw tenderly caressing it. "Nothing you can ever say will change that and I don't want it to. I told the other half of you, that when I said I love you I meant it to all of you and when I made love to you it wasn't just to him."

He saw the conviction in her eyes; she loved him just as much as his other side. He felt some of the control he'd been holding over his exhausted other half-slip. Immediately it was already berating him for treating her in this way. No one had ever accepted both halves of him before/

"Ryan's right, I was an idiot." He muttered, a nod from her confirmed it. "You were right I could have taken over." His voice lowered, "If I wanted to it was only after I realised what I wanted."

"Ryan called you a prat not an idiot." She saw the irritated look he gave her, there was no way she could have known that. "I know my brother he wouldn't use idiot." She gave him a small shrug. "Vlad I know both sides of you, I knew that both of you were involved." She stroked his neck, smiling as his eyes fluttered closed. "I would never have gone through with it if I thought that you weren't there. Whether you believe me or not I love both parts of you, I don't care that he's evil because when he was with me he was more like you."

Vlad brushed her hair from her eyes, "I do love you. I can't change that no matter how much I wanted to." She smiled as she caught his past tense when he talked about wanting to change that. "I'm sorry I said I couldn't love you."

"It's okay." She whispered pulling his forehead down to kiss hers.

"I love you more than anything." He admitted softly to her, he wasn't the fluffy type but he needed her to understand.

Erin closed her eyes, taking a big breath in relief. "I love you too."

Vlad smiled at her answer, part of him believed her feelings had diminished after what he'd said to her. "It might not be the same." He whispered terrified.

"What might not?" She didn't understand what he meant.

"Us." He breathed. "Now we're sharing it might not be the same being with me. If you still want me after everything…" She pressed a finger to his lips cutting him off.

"I don't care." She answered, shaking her head. "It's you – all of you." She could live with differences as long as she had him.

He pulled her to him, she could feel him burying his face into her shoulder. The way he did it she knew he was crying. For him to actually cry it told her how much he loved her and how much he regretted what he said.

"I'm so sorry." He spoke into her ear. Erin closed her eyes as she felt her jaw tremble at his heartfelt apology.

"I know." She could feel how much he'd hurt himself with his careless words. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have tried to sneak out and I shouldn't have left you in there." She felt his arms tighten around her and she sighed before he pulled back completely.

His eyes were full of regret and pleading as he looked at her. "Please don't leave me."

She kissed him lightly, she knew her answer. She couldn't leave him now, she couldn't lose him just as much as he couldn't lose her. "I can't."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	34. Sound

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'd like your opinions:_

_Someone asked for a mating/marriage/engagement either between Vlad and Erin or Bertrand and Ingrid. _

_Would anyone else like me to include one? If so, between who?_

Chapter 34: Sound

Carl met Erin at the bottom of the stairs, Vlad felt Erin freeze in front of him. He gently squeezed her shoulders, she looked up at him. She really didn't want to face any questions as to where she and Vlad had been over the last couple of days. She's successfully managed to dodge any questions over the course of the day.

"I'll see you later?" He asked her sounding nervous. He'd changed a fraction in the terms of he wasn't confident in public around her as he once was; she knew that would change over the course of a few days.

He was still apologising over what had happened and what he'd said. It would take a while for his words to heal but she at least knew how he truly felt and she could tell he was more relaxed around himself. They were trying to take things slowly but she really wasn't sure how long it would last.

"Yeah." She grinned up at him, "Have fun with Bertrand." She whispered. Vlad really didn't want to have a training lesson with Bertrand, especially not with him having wanted to paralyse him less than twenty four hours before. He narrowed his eyes at her but she only laughed. He gave her hand a squeeze before walking away at a pace that looked as if he was about to attend a funeral.

Things were slightly awkward between them but they were getting better over the course of the day. She couldn't completely ignore what he'd said though although she now knew he'd said it out of fear than anything else.

Erin saw Carl ready to laugh at the way her eyes followed her boyfriend's figure out of the room. She shook herself before darting across the foyer and towards her locker.

"So what was wrong with you and Vlad?" Carl asked curiously as Erin pulled her books from her locker ready to find one of the empty classrooms in the school. She didn't want to study in the throne room with the way the Count and the others acted around her.

"A bit of flu." Erin answered immediately, "Ingrid had it too." She knew Ingrid had been off just as long as them.

Carl gave a sigh. "You know there were rumours going around the school why you weren't in." He whispered. Erin slammed the locker door shut in response, the locker door bounced back so she closed it again – more gently this time.

"They aren't true." She snapped, she knew the rumours that would be spread. They would probably involve her being pregnant. "In this school isn't there anyone else they can gossip about?" She knew there wasn't, she was dating the most attractive boy in the school and that was a very bitter pill for them to swallow. "It's none of their business anyway." She hissed. Their private life was their own and as smug as it sounded she didn't think any of them would be able to handle her boyfriend's true nature.

"So what are you doing tonight? Any big plans…"

Erin felt defensive, "We're just spending some time together." They weren't going anywhere they were staying on the school grounds but well away from everyone else.

"Just be careful with him okay?" Carl told her, concern in his voice.

Erin didn't like the sound of that, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Carl immediately clamped up not wanting to say anymore. "Nothing."

Erin actually wondered if he believed the rumours.

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Erin let out a chuckle as Vlad led her along the corridors, "Where are we going?" She asked him softly. Vlad tossed her a smile before pulling her up some steps. She then realised she recognised these steps. "We're going to the balcony?" She asked.

"I just want to go somewhere where no one will disturb us." He explained, tipping his head to one side.

Erin gave him a look and he shook his head, he wasn't after privacy for that reason.

Vlad had enjoyed the few days they'd spent together on their own. He missed the fact that they didn't have to hide what they were up to and who they were.

He opened the door with a creak and gestured for her to go through it. She hesitated turning back to him, "No one's locking me out this time?" She teased him he chuckled before pushing her through the doorway with a wide grin. Hopefully this experience on the balcony wouldn't be as painful as before.

Erin gasped as she saw what he'd set out for her.

A large red blanket was set out on the balcony covering the dirt and grime that had gathered there so they could sit comfortably. On the blanket were two sets of everything and a rucksack of food for them. Erin lifted up the flap and looked inside. He'd put the food in boxes. She'd almost call this a picnic if it wasn't for the fact it was at night.

"Are you trying to seduce me Vladimir Dracula?" She asked looking back up at him.

"No." He protested too quickly. "I just thought that you'd prefer not eating Renfield's food." He shrugged nonchalantly.

She turned and kissed his cheek lightly, "Thank you."

He gestured for her to sit down; she picked up a plate before a wave of panic washed over her. She wondered whether to tell him or not but she knew she had to.

"I forgot to tell you something." She looked at him guiltily; she'd never had to tell anyone before. Vlad felt his throat tighten. He didn't want another secret. "I'm vegetarian."

He let out a bark of laughter and Erin's brow furrowed in confusion. "I know." He smirked, feeling relief wash over him at her words, it wasn't something much worse that she was going to tell him. "I did notice that mine and Wolfie's portions always grew at dinner." Whenever they had meat he could eat all of his and then conveniently find more meat on his plate. "And you never have meat on your sandwiches." Erin followed his gaze to the bag, "All vegetarian."

"Your dad still can't find out about us then." She admitted with a sigh as she watched him sort out the food. He had a range of things in his bag, she knew he must have made them. She wondered who'd taught him how to cook. She was a disaster in the kitchen, she managed to set fire to nearly everything or at least overcook it.

"I'm sorry," He answered, he wanted to be honest but he couldn't until he had his future power in his hands. "I told him we didn't have a future." He'd said that because of how he felt at the time but now he was determined to make sure they had one.

"It's the truth." She admitted quietly. "The only way is if you bite me." Neither of them wanted to risk a bite for a number of reasons but loyalty was a large factor in it. She looked up at him, "Maybe one day." Vlad didn't answer her, he could never bite her and he would never bite her. She deserved a life with someone who could give her everything she wanted – including a family – he felt selfish enough as it was keeping her here with him.

He decided to change the direction of the conversation. "Ingrid's up to something." Vlad muttered, "She never isn't up to anything." That sounded double dutch but Erin understood it.

"Maybe she was just worried about you." Erin answered as she shivered in the air. Vlad wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him, before realising his cool body wouldn't help her much. He tried to pull away but Erin kept him flush against her. He knew better than to fight against her.

"Ingrid never worries about anyone other than herself." He muttered, she smirked. He would never have admitted that out loud before. "She wanted to save me rather than staking me and she involved Bertrand. That's not her style."

Erin had to agree with that, Ingrid only involved others when it involved a completely loyal posse of newly bitten half fangs.

She looked down at the salad on her plate, Vlad had been generous with his portions. She had tomatoes, sandwiches, cheese and coleslaw to name a few, he'd even put crisps on her plate. He knew she hadn't eaten properly over the last few days and the vitamins that soy blood provided her mortal body with weren't enough.

"Let's just spend some time together without thinking about them tonight." She suggested. Vlad nodded before beginning to eat what was on his plate.

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"So this is goodnight." She whispered under the shadow of the main archway into the building. She felt flushed all over, this was the first time they would be parting for the night willingly and by the fact they were doing it in the courtyard showed how serious they were taking this. Neither wanted to risk anything being too close to their rooms.

Vlad kept his hands in his pockets, nodding, "Yeah."

Erin felt awkwardness between them, it had never been there before. She gestured with her hand inside and he nodded jerkily. He watched her carefully, she might have gestured but she wasn't making any effort to move. He couldn't' move either, he'd go if she did – besides it was rude to leave first.

Vlad couldn't help it anymore; he needed to ask before he went insane. "Do you really want to say goodnight?"

Erin shook her head, her eyes never leaving his. "No."

"Good." She only barely managed to smile before he wrenched his hands from his pockets; cupping her cheeks he pulled her lips to his. He deepened the kiss almost immediately, kissing her passionately. He wasn't being as gentle as he usually was he wanted this contact.

They were making up for the argument they'd had. Frustration, love, apology, bitterness and happiness were in there to name a few emotions.

Erin went with him gladly, gripping his leather jacket between her fingers. She'd never kissed him when he was wearing leather. It reminded her of what he was, a thrill raced through her at the thought of him – a vampire – loving her.

Vlad pushed Erin backwards, one pace, two paces, three paces, four paces… until her back hit the wall. She let out a groan as she hit the wall. Vlad saw her distraction and pushed himself up against her, effectively trapping her against the cold stone. Erin could feel flaking bits of masonry lodging itself in her hair. She was cast in his shadow from the dim light of the security light under the arch.

He took a chance, he leaned in and bit her neck lightly with his teeth. Erin's response scared him at first, she didn't do anything, and then she grasped his head and pulled it upwards so it was level with hers.

He knew he'd become carried away, he pulled back his eyes full of an apology but didn't manage to get his words out as he saw her eyes glistening. His eyes went to her neck before looking back up at her with slight nervousness; he'd just done it instinctively. He thought for a dread filled moment she was going to cry but then he noticed she was biting her lip trying not to laugh with joy. Erin's face transformed into a soft smile. This was the Vlad who'd been allowed half control showing through. She moved her hand to his cheek and brushed it lightly with her fingers.

"I trust you." She answered, "I told you, you wouldn't have let him go near my neck if you weren't there before. That was all you before wasn't it?" She quizzed him, pieces clicking into place.

He opened his mouth to speak; he wasn't sure what to say only managing a quick nod.

Erin responded by nipping his neck in return, drawing a moan from him. The response made her feel giddy, so she did it again drawing the same sound from him.

Vlad suddenly pulled back his eyes many shades darker making her breath catch in her throat as he looked at her with an intensity she'd never seen before.

"This isn't any different so far." Erin pointed out with a grin. She knew it wouldn't be. He gave a shrug pretending it hadn't weighed on his mind as much as it had before. He lowered his mouth back to hers, kissing her slower this time so their tongues brushed lazily against each other's.

Erin felt his hand reaching up to her lightweight jacket. He slipped his hand inside it but he didn't push it from her shoulders. Erin gasped, inadvertently pulling her lips from his as she felt his ice cold hands trailing along her back, just above the straps on her dress.

She lifted her right leg into the air; he caught it and brought it around his waist followed by her left. She locked her ankles behind him holding her to him with a bold grin. He moved so she was more comfortably pressed against the wall.

Vlad suddenly stiffened, his whole body straightening. His head snapped around to the entrance.

Erin twisted with him, she couldn't see much in the dark. Well she couldn't see as well as Vlad could. She felt herself being pulled away from the wall by his hands, her back arching into his strong touch as he left her as she lowered her feet to the ground before he pushed her behind him sensing negative emotions in the air.

"What's wrong?"

She couldn't understand why he was reacting that way but she knew better than to dismiss it.

Then she heard something.

It sounded like something big.

Her heart skipped a beat. That sound was louder than it should be for a single thing.

There was more than one thing coming towards them.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Someone asked for a mating/marriage/engagement either between Vlad and Erin or Bertrand and Ingrid. Would anyone else like me to include one?_

_Thanks for reading._


	35. Obeyed

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I have a confession…_

_I really don't know how long this is going to be…_

Chapter 35: Obeyed

Nothing could be seen in the unholy blackness but it could be heard. The sound of crunching gravel before the sound of something scraping and bumping against ancient cobbles.

Erin was still firmly behind Vlad as his gaze stretched out into the darkness in front of him. To him his vision was as sharp as hers if it was daylight.

"What is it?"

"I don't know." He answered; he felt her placing a hand on the small of his back. The gesture helped calm him; she felt his tense muscles relax under her fingers.

She turned her head as she saw a glimmer of light being reflected off something shiny. She tried to see it again but to no avail.

Then she saw lights, two sets of lights about waist height. They were bouncing up and down as they went over the cobbles; they shone a few meters in front of whatever they were.

As soon as they reached the archway opposite – as the light reflected around the arch illuminating what was in side – Erin rolled her eyes. She'd been expecting this, they both had.

Two black, clean and highly polished Nissans rolled up the drive. Their engines were soundless; vampire would have to be incredibly alert to notice them. She'd only seen a Nissan like these before when the Van Helsings had come to scope out the school.

Erin noticed the way Vlad had forced himself to remain in a straight position rather than coiled and ready to pounce.

As the cars came to a halt Vlad turned to Erin, "Stay behind me," He whispered, he didn't want to chance them grabbing her as he knew it was her that they'd come for.

The doors opened in rapid succession. Six slayers piled out of the cars. Only one of them looked about the same age as Mina the others were a mixture of their age and a few years older.

A wonderful recovery party.

They weren't going to be leaving with Erin, Vlad knew that for certain.

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Mina looked surprised at seeing the pair of them outside. Then she looked at them properly, Erin was dressed up as if she was going for a date or should that be coming back from one. Her lips were swollen and red as if she'd just been kissing Vlad. The vampire looked composed but their kind always did.

Jonno looked at the pair of them. Vlad looked dishevelled – thoroughly dishevelled, standing next to Erin. Vlad straightened out his jacket pretending that he hadn't noticed the way Jonno was looking at them. Mina looked at Erin and tugged on her brown slayer's shirt trying to communicate something to Erin. Erin furrowed her brow and Mina repeated the action. Erin suddenly realised what Mina meant, she flushed as she yanked on her dress which had hiked up and never quite fallen back down when she'd wrapped her legs around her boyfriend's waist.

She was thankful that only Mina had been able to see her behind Vlad, she pressed her hot cheeks into the cool leather on Vlad's shoulder, taking a deep breath to try and calm herself.

"What do you want?" Vlad asked as politely as he could muster.

"Maybe if we went inside…" One of them – a woman who'd climbed out of Jonno's car suggested quietly, she wanted to discuss this somewhere more comfortable than the courtyard of the Dracula's home. The wind was biting into her and she didn't do well in cold weather.

"You're not going into my home." Vlad was firm about that. Mina and Jonno knowing the layout of their home was one thing, there was no way he was willing to let other slayers know it.

"I'll ask again, what do you want?"

The slayer who looked the same age as Mina looked behind Vlad towards the slayer he was shielding from them. "We want the slayer who betrayed us." His voice was rough and his hair was receding.

"You're not getting Erin." Vlad told them firmly, his hand linking with hers, instantly they linked their fingers together.

"It would be better for you if you let us take her." He sent Vlad a dismissive gaze making him bristle. Vlad hated being ignored; Erin traced a pattern with her right arm on his back trying to calm him. She didn't know how far this combined version of Vladimir Dracula could be pushed without retaliating.

"We don't have a treaty; you can't force me to do anything." He fought not to lower his fangs; he was trying to keep his lips pressed together when he was talking so that if they did slip down then they wouldn't notice them. Six slayers on two wasn't fair. He could use his powers but he didn't want to risk an attack just yet.

The slayer smirked at him, "We gave you our terms."

"Terms that would lead to genocide." Erin spat at him. She knew they'd wipe out the vampires, they claimed they wouldn't but there wouldn't be any need for slayers if they kept the peace.

"You have no right to speak to us slayer! Killing vampires is what we are supposed to do not date them." Clearly everyone had heard that they were dating – not that they'd ever been out on a date and probably never would.

Another slayer, coughed. It seemed to cut the male slayer off. This woman was about Ingrid's age with dark hair just like his sister. "You're a ward of the Guild. You have no choice but to come with us." She gestured to them to grab Erin.

"She's not going anywhere with you." Vlad repeated, "I will do whatever it takes to protect her."

"You'll bite us?" She taunted, laughing. It was hardly a threat when they'd heard that thousands of times before.

"Worse." He answered. The one word seemed to terrify the slayers completely and he looked determined.

She tried to laugh off her fear. Jonno and Mina winced, "You can't frighten us Chosen One. Unless Erin has someone claiming responsibility for her then she's subject to our laws."

Vlad raised his hand, preparing to knock them back with a gust. "No." Erin whispered to him seeing what he was doing. "They're trying to make you use your powers."

A new voice added to the commotion. "Erin is in my care."

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Vlad turned in the direction of the voice to see the Count strolling through the archway with his hands clasped behind his back.

"What was that?" The member of the Guild asked.

Vlad tried to ignore the smirk on Jonno and Mina's faces. They seemed thankful that someone over the age of eighteen had intervened. Vlad wasn't sure he felt the same way though.

The Count looked at his son, scrutinising the way his hair was sticking out in all directions. He knew that there was no way that it could have happened naturally. Erin didn't look much better. He wasn't impressed with his son, but this situation gave him an opportunity. One that he was sure Vlad would realise quickly.

"Erin is under my protection as Regent to the future Grand High Vampire. She's my responsibility." He smiled forcefully at them making them shudder. "That was what you wanted to hear wasn't it."

Mumbling broke out amongst the slayers, Vlad looked at Erin and she gave him a nervous smile. She hoped this would work although it had been unexpected.

"Are you sure you want to house a slayer under your roof?" They asked, trying to get his honest opinion to shine through.

"She's my son's girlfriend, she hasn't slain him. I think I can trust her not to slay us." He answered honestly and Erin took a deep breath. "She and her brother are my responsibility."

Vlad had forgotten about Ryan but he was a half fang so it wouldn't have affected him the Count was trying to make a point. Families stuck together.

The slayers visibly slumped in a mixture of loathing and defeat.

"We'll get her back somehow." The male slayer threatened making Erin shudder. Vlad pulled her into his arms, holding her possessively. "She deserves to be punished and she will be for what she did to us."

Clearly they'd thought they could take Erin easily.

Vlad had expected more of a fight but half of the slayers in front of him didn't seem too bothered. Looking across as Jonno and Mina he knew they had something to do with it from the relief on their faces. They didn't know why the Guild wanted Erin so much.

Vlad hadn't forgotten his vow to find out.

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As they turned away from the vampires, Jonno grabbed Vlad's arm, "We need to talk." He spoke quickly. Vlad wrenched his arm free and Erin winced, she was the only person who could touch Vlad without him acting that way. Bertrand touched him diplomatically where Vlad could shrug him off, when Bertrand touched him she saw him tense as well but he tolerated it. "We need to go back before they miss us but we have leave due in two weeks."

Vlad's brow furrowed in confusion, he looked to Erin and she shrugged. She'd never had it but the higher officials must have. "Slayers have leave?"

Jonno's head snapped around as he heard the sound of a car door being opened. "I need your help." Jonno spoke quietly, throwing a glance towards the other slayers who were chatting quietly before piling into their car and driving off leaving Jonno, Mina and two other slayers behind. "And we have some information for you."

"You arranged this meeting." Erin realised, Jonno nodded. It was the only way they could pass the message on to them. They couldn't stall the Guild any longer – to do so would have been suspicious. They'd played ignorant to the vampires knowing what they could do to stop Erin being taken from them. That's why they'd been forced to give up without much of a fight. Erin was curious, "What kind of information?"

Jonno pulled his eyes from where the other car had just driven off, "I haven't got time to tell you now." They'd notice they were missing if they were gone for longer than another minute.

"Where do you want to meet?" Vlad asked him quietly.

Jonno rolled his eyes. "The road where you destroyed our van."

Vlad had done that in self-defence to protect his family. Anyway it wasn't like he'd completely ruined it. "I didn't destroy it – just dented it." He protested. He'd shaken it a little from side to side to scare the slayers. Erin looked at him in amazement; he'd never actually told her what he'd done when he'd left her and Ingrid.

"It was a write off!" Jonno protested loudly.

"BOYS!" Erin snapped loudly, shutting the pair of them up. They had matching sheepish expressions as they looked at her. "We'll be there." She promised making Jonno relax.

"Jonno, we've got to go." Mina called to her son, looking up from her watch.

"Three weeks Friday." Jonno reminded them before climbing into the Nissan.

Whatever they had to say had to be interesting or so they hoped.

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As he heard the sound of the car die away on the pavement as they turned onto the road Vlad turned to his father, remembering that he was still there. "Thanks Dad." He had gratitude all over his face.

"I didn't do it out of kindness Vladimir." The Count snapped at his son. He glanced over to Erin. Erin rubbed her arms as she felt a chill race through her. Vlad saw what she was doing and rubbed her arms as well trying to warm her up.

Erin had a feeling she knew the answer but she still had to ask. "What did you do it for?"

The Count ignored Erin as if she wasn't there; he focussed his gaze on his son and heir. "You made a promise Vladimir, when you were fang cuffed to that chair." Vlad winced as he knew the promise the Count was talking about: fifty – fifty power. "I expect you to keep it." Erin watched in horror as her fears were confirmed, Vlad's face fell and he looked as if he was about to pass out as he glanced across to the side.

"If you even think about crossing me Vlad, I will hand her over to the slayers without hesitating." Vlad looked at his father's triumphant smirk. "I am your father and it's about time you obeyed me."

Vlad nodded stiffly once. He'd obey for Erin's sake.

"Vlad…" She breathed; she couldn't believe he was doing this for her. He was giving away his future to keep her safe it was either the most romantic thing she'd seen or the most stupid. She was inclined to believe the latter.

"Good." The Count looked at Erin, acknowledging her once again. "Now say goodnight to your girlfriend, Vladdy." He demanded looking between them. Vlad fought to keep his tongue in check as he was talked to as if he was six.

Vlad looked down at the cobbles, finding the crumbling concrete beneath his feet fascinating. "I'll walk her back to her room then say goodnight." Vlad compromised, he lowered his tone and forced himself to use a less confrontational one – for Erin's sake.

The Count pointed a finger between them, "Make sure that's all you do." He then shot upwards into the night.

"He doesn't trust you." Erin noted.

Vlad shrugged, "We're vampires, we don't trust each other." He was referring to the side that would double cross everyone at a moment's notice. He gestured with his head inside, before pulling her gently for her to follow him. "Come on."

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Erin left him at the door to her room. Vlad pressed his forehead against hers, "Sorry." He whispered, he knew the Count would check up on him now to make sure he was alone.

"It's okay." She answered with a smile. It didn't matter to her so much as long as she was still with him – that's what was important at the moment to her.

"What's so important about getting you back?" Vlad pondered as he looked at Erin. He wouldn't let her go for all the soy blood in the world he was just curious as to why they were so desperate to have her back

She stroked his jaw, "They want to make an example of me Vlad nothing more."

He stroked her arm lightly, caressing it through her lightweight jacket. "Keep your equipment near you." He didn't want anyone hurting her while he wasn't around.

Erin didn't like that being an option. She didn't want anything to do with her former life. "Vlad…"

"Please Erin." He begged her, "All I want is for you to be safe." With them spending the night apart he'd feel more comfortable knowing that she had something she could use to defend herself.

Erin nodded, before pulling away from him. "Goodnight." She told him before darting towards him and kissing his neck affectionately.

Vlad closed his eyes at the affection, "Night." He kissed her neck lightly in response.

She pulled away from him, grasping the door in her hand she closed it slowly. Her hands leaning on it as she tried to maintain eye contact as long as possible.

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A knock at his door made him turn towards it in confusion – there was no one who would want to talk to him that he was aware of. He yanked his tracksuit bottoms on before straightening his red sleeping t-shirt. Slowly he made his way across the room to his door, opening it slowly should there be anyone on the other side prepared to attack him.

He opened his door quickly as he saw the person on the other side. Erin looked nervously around. She was shaking, her eyes met his and he could see the worry in them.

"Vlad my slaying equipment is gone." Erin whispered in a panic.

Only four people knew where her equipment was and he certainly hadn't had it.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	36. Blackmail

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I hope I haven't shocked anyone with my sudden change in rating. I fancied doing something a little different. _

_I've never written anything like this before so I hope its okay so far…_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 36: Blackmail

Bertrand walked into Ingrid's room without knocking – he wasn't the sort of person to knock.

"What do you want?" Ingrid asked, she didn't turn. She continued to paint her nails with the crimson blush nail varnish she now kept locked away safely from the thieving hands of Renfield. She knew who it was and a small smile crossed her face before she scolded herself. She couldn't have a relationship with him she reminded herself. It wouldn't do either of them any good.

Something had been preying on Bertrand's mind since Ingrid had – in not so many words – rejected him. "Is status that important to you Ingrid?" Bertrand asked her quietly. Ingrid had never heard his voice so low and quiet.

"I'm tired of being second best to a man." She snapped at him. "Just because I was born a girl doesn't mean I can't do what you can."

"You think you can train Vlad?" He honestly couldn't see that. Ingrid glowered at him.

"I wouldn't want to." She protested drawing a chuckle from Vlad's usually stoic mentor. She shuddered at the thought of teaching her brother it was bad enough the first time with his Blood Test. Things eased up between them again for a few moments, "I was thinking." She began softly, "You could contest the claims, your sister's inheritance."

They could perhaps start a relationship if he had prospects that way she wouldn't be disappointed if something developed between them.

"I can't." Bertrand told her softly, he could never have done that to his baby sister. He had always been protective of her granted he was a vampire but she'd been treated far worse than Ingrid ever had. Anyway that didn't matter.

Ingrid didn't know why he wouldn't do it, he took power before he could take it now. "You can. It's rightfully yours being male…"

"I can't because my sister was slain!" He snapped with passion in his tone. He closed his eyes; he'd loved his younger sister. He'd practically brought her up, he was the only one who cared for her. He felt like he'd failed her when she was married off at sixteen, arranged marriages were important for mergers and territories four hundred years ago. He could still hear her begging for help he couldn't give – not that he didn't but because he didn't have any means to do so. It was the one thing that had haunted him more than the wars all these years.

Ingrid looked down, she'd never thought that Bertrand could speak like that. "Slayers." She assumed, slayers were the bane of their unlives.

"Ramanga." He corrected. He held hatred for Ramanga, he knew what he was capable of and that's why he hated the deal Ingrid had made. Ramanga hadn't recognised him when he'd arrived before, he clearly didn't remember his sister. "He'll kill you before you can take Vlad's throne."

"I'm not going to." She wasn't taking Vlad's throne, not now. She couldn't trust this Vlad not to turn his powers on her and their kind if she tried to usurp him.

He still believed what he said before, "He'll kill you anyway."

"Why did he kill your sister?" Ingrid asked softly, she could see how Bertrand felt in his eyes towards his sister. There was a gentleness that she rarely saw there and a sparkle in his eyes.

"Beatrice." Ingrid looked at him in surprise, "Her name was Beatrice." He offered the information freely and Ingrid was grateful for it. Beatrice had been beautiful with dark almond eyes, waist length raven hair that she always seemed to shiver, porcelain skin, a keen sense of humour and a sharp tongue. "He made her an offer," He spat the word out, Ingrid knew what he meant. "He offered her titles if she became his mistress. She couldn't marry him because she would have chosen to leave Pierre." He said Pierre's name with just as much venom as he did Ramanga, she wondered the story behind that but she'd ask another time. "She was barely fifty." He looked down and Ingrid surprised him by grasping his cheek, "He tried to blackmail her but she didn't fall for it so he killed her, her husband and my nephew Jacque."

"I'm sorry." She told him sincerely, she never imagined Bertrand had a family outside. He'd mentioned his sister. She now understood why he was so against her making a pact with Ramanga. She felt sick knowing what she'd done without knowing anything about the vile vampire. "So he has your land now?"

"He lives in my family home." He confirmed, he felt the anger burning though him. Three hundred and fifty years had done nothing to extinguish it. Ramanga hadn't even recognised him when he visited that would make revenge sweeter for Bertrand. H wouldn't get away with murdering his sister.

Ingrid did something then that she'd never done before, well she had once but it had been spur of the moment, this time she'd thought it through. She leaned across to him and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. Bertrand stiffened at the gesture and Ingrid wondered if he'd ever had any such like contact before.

She didn't feel embarrassed by it at all as he looked at her with wide blue eyes.

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Vlad slammed the door open to his sister's room. Ingrid and Bertrand jumped apart; Vlad didn't pay them much attention. His mind was fixed on something else. He'd deliberately waited until dawn to confront the pair of them so neither of them could escape the confines of the school that became their prison during the day.

"Where is it?" Vlad snapped at his sister, "Or have you got it?" He asked looking at Bertrand.

"Got what Vlad?" Ingrid asked far too innocently. It made Erin's teeth grind, this was the old Ingrid. She wondered if she'd imagined the nice Ingrid that she'd spoken to almost two days before.

Erin shook her head in disbelief behind Vlad, Ingrid would never change would she. She swept Ingrid's room with her gaze trying to locate her equipment in there somewhere.

Vlad mimicked her actions but his gaze froze on Ingrid's coffin. Ingrid's smile slipped as she realised what Vlad was looking at. He strode across to it and yanked the lid up. Ingrid let out a cry of protest as he stuffed his hand underneath her pillow. Vlad didn't need to bury his hand far underneath the soft cushion as he felt something that was made of leather. He clenched his hand around it before withdrawing it and exposing the familiar leather pouch to the air.

Ingrid tried to keep a straight face as she desperately tried to think of something to say. She let out an objecting squeak as Vlad handed the pouch straight to Erin. She opened it up, clear distain for what she held in her hands, she tried only to touch what was necessary. She checked it over, paying close attention to the stakes. "It's all there." She told Vlad, before frowning at Ingrid.

"I didn't want to risk her slaying us." It was the only thing she could think of saying and it sounded lame to her ears.

Vlad folded his arms over his chest as Erin clutched the kit to her chest so it couldn't be pried away from her easily although she hated cradling the weapons. "Which one of us were you planning to slay this time?" He asked curiously. Ingrid didn't answer, "Considering you *chose* not to slay me last time I don't think that you'll do it this time, Bertrand's helping you, you can't slay Erin so that leaves Dad."

From the silence Vlad knew he'd hit the nail on the head.

"You don't understand Vlad," Bertrand began but Ingrid waved her hand, she wasn't going to let Bertrand tell Vlad just yet. Bertrand felt his hackles rise, part of the deal was to tell Vlad exactly what was going on and Ingrid was preventing him from doing that. He couldn't believe she could be so stupid.

"Vlad you don't want to get in my way." Ingrid warned him, throwing a glance towards Erin. Vlad followed her gaze he would do anything to protect Erin and Ingrid knew that.

"You can't stop me." Vlad answered. He would stop her, he would do whatever it took – he wasn't going to have another repeat of Stokely.

Ingrid hadn't finished talking however. "If you don't want me to tell him where Erin's been sleeping at night."

A growl came from behind her and she knew Ingrid's words had upset Vlad. She wasn't sure what this new, combined him would do. Erin stepped forward but Vlad caught her pulling her back to him by gently gripping her shoulders. "You wouldn't…"

"I would. Can you imagine what our kind would say to a vampire being corrupted by a slayer before his eighteenth birthday? Especially the Grand High Vampire?" She couldn't help herself. She stepped forward, her arms folded over her chest, "I wonder what Dad would do to you if he knew?"

Thunder crackled outside, one particularly loud clap forced Erin to jump into Vlad's side. She gripped his arm, immediately feeling childish at her reaction. She stepped away thankful that Vlad and Ingrid's eyes were still locked in a staring match so no one had seen her.

"Are you jealous Ingrid?" Vlad asked her, slowly, "Because I can't think of any other reason why you'd be so worried about me and Erin." Ingrid bristled at his words; she'd never gotten to the stage that Erin and Vlad were with Will. She couldn't risk it once she'd transformed him.

Ingrid knew he was punching below the belt, she tried not to let his words affect her. "I'm not jealous." Ingrid told him, "I'm just looking out for my little brother."

"You don't look out for anyone." He answered with disgust in his tone.

She shrugged, maybe that was true, and maybe it wasn't. "Still if you want Erin to breathe I wouldn't get in my way Vlad or I will tell Dad everything."

Vlad's eyes narrowed before he pulled Erin from the room, Ingrid had won for now.

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Bertrand yanked himself away from Ingrid, Ingrid looked confused at him. She didn't understand why he'd done that. "Bertrand?"

"I thought the plan was to get Vlad to stop you killing the Count."

"It is."

Bertrand shook his head, "I really don't think that's going to work now." He violently spat at her. "I think you just went too far with your brother."

She raised a hand in the air, extending her index and middle fingers in protest. "This way I'm the one in control until his birthday. I can get him to do what I want. I know how far I can push him."

"You *knew* how far to push him before!" Bertrand shouted at her, correcting her tenses. "He's not the same person as before, he's sharing his body. He can turn on us at any minute and he won't regret it for a moment." Each word of his second statement was punctuated to stress his irritation with her. "I agree on playing with Vlad's emotions," He'd done it to pressure Vlad into training by trying to get him to feel hurt about Erin's 'leaving to visit her boyfriend', "I agree manipulating him and I agree with forcing him into action." There were many ways to deal with Vlad, emotionally had always been the best way

"I am using his feelings…"

"No you just blackmailed him." Bertrand hissed at her. Ingrid shrugged; she didn't see a problem with that. "Blackmail is for cowards."

Ingrid glared at him her fangs on show for all to see. "I'm not a coward."

"You're as much of a coward as Ramanga."

Then Ingrid realised how her actions had upset him. She went to apologise but it was too late as she heard the sonic boom of him leaving the room.

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Vlad slammed the door shut, the entire wooden door frame wobbled and plumes of plaster dust sprang from the cracks and into the air. Vlad threw his weight back against the door, leaning against it with his head tilted upwards.

"So much for getting along for one hundred years." He muttered, he knew they wouldn't stick to it but back then he hadn't wanted them to but he didn't expect both of them to target him.

"They're using me to control you." Erin spoke quietly. Vlad turned his head to look at her. "I'm so sorry Vlad…" Vlad pressed a finger to her lips cutting her off, feeling her warm breath on his finger.

"They've done it since the start." They'd used her the moment they'd discovered he had feelings for her.

"So if you'd never met me then they would never have done this." Erin wished she'd never burdened him with her presence but at the start she was supposed to have slain him.

Vlad sped over to her and lifted her face tenderly, their eyes met with an intensity of pure love. "If I hadn't met you I wouldn't be here," He spoke softly. Erin wondered what he meant, before she could ask him he spoke again. "They've forgotten one thing." Vlad whispered with a smirk, "Something they can't stop because they don't have the power to, I couldn't stop it either even if I wanted to."

Erin felt hope building in her chest, "What's that?"

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	37. Burns

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_A longer chapter…_

_I'm surprise no one noticed my glaring mistake in Chapter 35, I only noticed it this morning but I'm going to make it work for me. I'm not going to change it. It gave me an interesting idea._

Chapter 37: Burns

Vlad let out a sigh, this was more about his father than his sister. His father was the biggest threat to him, his sister was being 'Ingrid' but Ingrid's blackmail if she followed through with it he wouldn't have anything left to bargain Erin's safety for.

"Do you remember what I told you when I thought it was you that had been bitten? When I was trying to make it sound not so bad?"

"Even though you hated everything about being a vampire?" He gave her a look, she was telling the truth but she decided to make herself that fraction clearer. "Everything that wasn't useful at least."

"Do you remember what I said about breathers?"

She couldn't forget, that was what told her clearly that he was different. He trusted her and that was when she allowed herself to admit that she had feelings for the youngest Dracula. "You said that you wanted us to live in piece, as soon as you became Grand High Vampire."

"I didn't say Grand High Vampire though." Vlad corrected her, "I said when I got my *full powers*."

Erin blinked slowly, she'd taken it to mean that he could do whatever he wanted when he became Grand High Vampire not that he would have more power. "Are you saying that you'll become even more powerful?" She asked.

"Yeah, I passed every single blood test. I don't receive my full powers until I come of age and that's my eighteenth birthday." He'd scraped through them but he'd passed them nonetheless.

"You think they've forgotten that?" Erin had so she wondered if they had too. Vlad shrugged, it was easy to do. He'd come into most of his powers early, he shouldn't have as many as he did now. He was more powerful than any other vampire already, they would have probably assumed that he'd already come into his powers.

"I think they should be more worried about them crossing me than me crossing them." He told her with a smile. The smile wasn't malicious though it was regretful. They wouldn't stand a chance if he unleashed that power on them and they wouldn't know what to expect. They only pushed him around now because they thought that that was the extent of his power. They didn't realised how wrong they were.

This was the Vlad she'd known the longest being forced into action. He'd be forced to use his powers to regain what was rightfully his – his father hadn't done a very good job as Regent so far so she doubted he would make a very good leader.

She just wished that he'd never been put in this position.

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The canteen was full of hustle and bustle, the young couple didn't really want to go upstairs for their dinner. Erin was seething silently at what Vlad's family had forced him to do. One blackmailing him and the other forcing him to give up half his power. At least down here she couldn't say something offensive and wind up with a pair of fangs in her neck. Vlad lifted his water bottle to his lips taking a long drink. He missed the days before healthy eating when fizzy pop was allowed and fruit juice for that matter. Most of the meals in the canteen involved pasta now and a favourite dressing was unfortunately garlic.

Something appeared in front of his vision so suddenly his eyes blurred before refocusing on it.

Vlad craned away from the object that was thrust into his face. He nearly tipped his chair backwards in the attempt to get as far away from it as possible. He winced as the offensive smell assaulted his nose. He looked to Erin pleading with her to take it from him.

Garlic bread. Garlic bread with a lot of garlic butter in it, he knew there was a reason he'd skipped that class although Vlad had a 'doctor's' note saying that he was severely allergic to garlic so he'd been excused from the lesson on making garlic bread.

Erin reached out a hand to grab the offending bread. Becky yanked it away before she could touch it, giving her the dirtiest look she could muster. Her face switched to sickly sweet as she tried once more to get Vlad to eat the poison she held it in her hand.

Becky decided that it would be easier if she gave him a smaller piece and broke it down to the size of a die. "Try some Vlad," Becky spoke flirtatiously before pushing it towards his mouth for him to accept it. She was trying the romantic approach of feeding him. She could feel everyone's eyes on her. Erin would never do this for him and perhaps it would convince Vlad that she was better match for him.

It touched his lips and Erin saw him screw his eyes up and a faint hiss escaped his lips. Becky held it there waiting for Vlad to open his mouth. Erin lashed out and smacked Becky's hand as hard as she could away from her boyfriend's mouth.

"What the hell Erin?!" Becky shouted at her as a red mark began to form on her hand. Erin felt guilty for it but a treacherous part of her had enjoyed hitting her.

Becky didn't let go of the bread that easily although it was forced from Vlad's lips, it 'accidentally' dropped down the collar of his shirt instead.

Vlad frantically tried to loosen his collar, instead it only slipped down further and under the white t-shirt he wore underneath. It didn't help that he had his shirt tucked into his trousers. Becky watched with rapt attention as she waited for Vlad to remove his shirt so he could get the garlic bread from there. Erin knew Vlad couldn't, they would see the burn marks the garlic caused to his flesh.

Vlad looked at Erin, he didn't touch her but she could see the pain in his eyes. "Go." She told him firmly, he nodded and practically ran from the room to find a safe place before speeding to his room. As soon as he was gone Erin turned a violent shade of purple as she glared that the stupid woman in front of her. "Vlad's allergic to garlic!" Erin snapped at Becky, "You could have killed him."

"What is he a vampire now?" Becky tossed at her, not noticing how Erin froze as she said those words. It took a moment for the former slayer to realise they'd been said sarcastically. "Don't try and make him into Edward Cullen, Erin." Erin bit her tongue resisting telling her that the Cullens weren't affected by garlic in the novel but resisted. She'd never read the books but when the girls went on and on about them it was hard to ignore. "He's far better than Edward Cullen." She told Erin with a smirk. "You just didn't like it because he was going to accept what I'd made in home economics. You were jealous."

Erin really had nothing to be jealous about. "I'm not the one who's jealous. Becky when are you going to realise he's not interested. Just leave him alone."

Unable to face her sometimes-friend anymore she turned her back on her, she couldn't forgive her for injuring Vlad no matter that she hadn't intended for him to be hurt and that she hadn't known how it would affect him.

Erin grabbed her bag and quickly left the canteen wanting to make sure Vlad was okay.

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Erin didn't bother to knock, she just entered the room. She saw him groaning and letting small bursts of involuntarily swallowed air out through his teeth as he tried to get his shirt off. Every time his shirt shifted the garlic moved inside burning another part of his flesh.

Erin dropped her back to the floor, alerting Vlad to the fact that she was in the room. Vlad turned to her, his eyes streaming from the pain. It was unbelievable that such a small amount of garlic could do that much damage to someone.

She darted from the room and ran as fast as she could to the kitchen to grab a bowl of clean, warm water – she needed to clean the garlic from him – and a flask to rinse his back to make sure there were no traces of the garlic remaining afterwards. She grabbed a fresh cloth as she waited for the bowl to fill before walking back as fast as she could without spilling the water to Vlad's room.

She pressed her back against the door and pushed it open slowly, she did a half turn once the door was open. She paced he bowl on the couch as she saw that Vlad still hadn't managed to get his shirt off and was now tugging at it only succeeding in making the garlic burn him more.

Erin reached around his waist and pulled both of his shirts from his waistband completely, a fraction of the yellow shirt was still tucked inside the band.

The young slayer placed her hands on top of his halting his movements. She moved his hands away and deftly undid the buttons trying to ignore Vlad's studious gaze on her. "Knowing our luck your dad will walk in and catch me undressing you when we're not doing anything." Erin muttered, Vlad laughed before hissing as the bread moved around under his t-shirt.

She pushed the yellow cotton shirt away from his shoulders before grabbing the hem of the t-shirt and pulling it over his head. The offensive piece of garlic bread dropped to the floor. Erin grabbed it and forced it into her back so he couldn't tread on it.

She encouraged him to sit down with his back to her. She sat on the floor behind him, her gaze fixed on lowering the bowl to the floor and wringing the cloth. She turned towards him and gasped.

Wide, straight marks were on his back from where the bread had shifted and moved. They looked painful and inflamed. They were angry marks, some much deeper than others where the garlic had been lodged. Black residue wept from the marks. She kissed the back of his neck, just below that curl of hair at the nape of his neck that she loved to twist her fingers in, silently telling him that she was about to begin.

She felt him tense just before she lowered the cloth to the first set of marks. She saw the way the muscles in his arms clenched. She could picture his face all screwed up as he tried not to cry out. She swore she'd get revenge on Becky for doing this to him.

"Sorry." The apology slipped out at the thought of being the one who caused this pain. He tried to shrug to say it didn't matter but failed. "I'll try to be quick."

He nodded but he knew she couldn't guarantee it.

Erin quickly set to work trying to get the garlic out of his wounds but it was much more stubborn than she thought. The water seemed to be hardly touching it, it eased it a fraction but that was all. Then an idea crossed her mind – the Count had recovered from Vlad placing garlic around his neck so there must be something they could use.

"The waters not working." She spoke softly, his head snapped around to hers a concerned expression in his eyes. She wiped the tear tracks away that looked like small rivers down his cheeks. She threw the cloth into the bowl. "I'll see if there's anything that will help. Your Dad recovered…"

"I'm fine Erin." He tried to assure her but she could tell he was lying from the way he worried his lip. Looking at the wounds she could see that they were still burning, the garlic wasn't easy to remove and it was still burning through his flesh albeit at a slower rate. She couldn't leave him like this.

"I won't be long. There has to be something…"

Before Vlad could answer her, she'd already left the room on a quest to find something

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Erin poked her head around the door to the training room. She checked to see if Bertrand was in there, when she couldn't see him she hesitated. He always came in before she'd managed to do anything before. She wondered if she should wait for him she really didn't want to risk his wrath again. However Vlad was already in enough pain, she didn't want him in any more than necessary.

She stepped into the room before closing her eyes forcing confidence into her.

Erin glanced around, various equipment was dotted around the room. She swept her eyes over the walls before her eyes came to rest on an ancient looking shelf that looked like it housed first aid equipment. That would be the place that might hold something that could help Vlad.

As quickly as she could she jogged over to the shelf and looked up at it.

It hadn't seemed that high on the wall from a distance. She quickly spotted and empty crate, ignoring the splinters that buried themselves in her hand she grabbed it and placed it below it before gingerly testing her weight on it and climbing completely on it.

She grimaced as she hesitantly reached up to explore the shelf with her hands. She really didn't like doing that.

She felt her hand go straight through a spider web or something like that. Whatever it was the string like material was sticky and clung to her fingers. She shuddered as she wiped her fingers on the shelf before reaching around amongst the spider and fly corpses that were on there trying to grasp a bottle in her hand.

Erin jumped as she heard a voice hiss behind her sharply, nearly falling backwards and tearing the shelf of vile things from the wall. "What are you doing in here?"

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"What are you doing in here?" Bertrand asked her, he knew he'd startled her and at the moment he didn't care. She was invading his privacy and he wasn't going to stand for it. He didn't have much that was his and he was fiercely protective of what he did have. "I told you what would happen if you came in here again." He was restraining himself from dropping his fangs, he knew that Vlad would probably hear him and rush to Erin's side like he'd done on so many occasions before.

Erin carefully stepped from the box she was standing on before wiping her fingers freeing them from the dirt that had been collected on the palms of her hands.

"I'm not here to see what you're up to." Erin told him firmly and more importantly honestly. Bertrand blinked looking surprised at Erin's courage to speak back to him like that. She'd never dared to before. Being with Vlad had clearly given her the confidence to.

"What are you doing in here?" He repeated.

"You practiced with garlic right?" She asked quietly, "Training Vlad you threw garlic and things at him?" Bertrand remembered that, he'd been forced to wear gloves and he hated wearing gloves at any time, he nodded answering her question.

"Why would that interest you?"

Erin wrung her hands in front of herself, "You must have burned him a few times with it." Bertrand nodded, "I thought you might have something that could soothe the burns in here."

His eyes softened in concern, she was trying to help one of their kind, "How did he get burned?" He asked, Erin looked at him in surprise at his concerned tone before shaking herself as he moved past her. He didn't knock her but she felt the chill that spread over her as he did.

"Becky tried to feed him garlic bread before dropping it down his shirt. I've cleaned them with water but the burns seem to be getting worse." Bertrand rummaged through a small chest and Erin stood on her toes to try and see what was in there. She couldn't see much as his whole body was blocking her she only saw a few trinkets. She lowered herself back down before he turned around fully so he didn't notice her prying.

"Here." He handed her a small bottle of something.

"What is it?"

"Chalk, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar." Erin didn't look too convinced. "It will help." He assured her. "It'll sting when it goes on first though. The chalk will remove the grease, the vinegar the smell and the bicarbonate will sooth it." She clutched it to her.

"Thanks."

"Vlad's had it before." He told her, "He knows what to expect." He opened his mouth to scold her and threaten her about being in here again, but she spoke before he could.

"Sorry about coming in here, I would've asked you but I didn't know where you were. I didn't want Vlad to be in anymore pain for longer than he had to be." Bertrand was shocked at her apology, it was sincere. Erin didn't want to give him any reason to think she was up to something. This was his private domain just like her room was, she understood how much he valued the privacy and she wanted to show him she respected that despite the fact he'd tried to kill her on more than one occasion. "I know you don't like people being in here and I promise I'll ask you before I come in again – unless Vlad drags me in here and I don't get a chance." She muttered and the corner of Bertrand's mouth quirked up in a smile, he couldn't blame Erin if it happened because of Vlad.

"Thank you." He told her. It was the first time she'd ever heard those words from him.

"I didn't trust Renfield not to make Vlad worse like he did Ingrid." She continued, "But I'm sorry I didn't ask you first." She waved the jar in front of her. "Thanks for this."

Bertrand nodded unsure what to say. She'd treated him differently, she wasn't considering him a part of Ingrid's blackmail of her brother – and he wasn't, she didn't judge him the way he thought she would. He wasn't sure what to make of that. She hadn't been malicious instead she was being respectful of him. She was trying to get along with him. He found a glimmer of respect forming for her.

That was something that he wasn't prepared for and it was a terrifying thing to consider.

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Vlad groaned the moment he saw what Erin held in her hands. He hated that stuff. He hated the feel of its thick texture on his skin.

"Bertrand gave it me." She smiled, Erin couldn't help but smile as Vlad recognised the stuff and the reaction to seeing it. He gave her a dirty look that only made her laugh. She gestured for him to turn around and he reluctantly did so.

Using her fingers she gently applied the salve to the burns. It felt lumpy, it had a smell to it but nothing as powerful as the garlic itself. Erin felt him tense under her gently fingers. She lifted her right and squeezed his right shoulder lightly, she felt his left hand come up and lace their fingers. His thumb caressed the back of her hand.

The only thing Erin didn't like was the fact that she could see exactly where the garlic bread had touched his back. Large white patches made him look as if he'd had a case of chicken pox. The entire left side of his neck was covered in the mixture. He would never have allowed anyone else to apply the cream there. Her eyes watered at how fragile his porcelain skin could be. She pressed the softest of kissed to the spot between his shoulder blades before resting her forehead against his back. She felt his head tipping backwards at the gently caress her lips had given him.

He groaned as he heard the bell ring in the distance. He pulled himself away from his girlfriend.

He reached for his shirt but Erin snatched it off him before he could do anything with it. She threw it across the room away from him.

"You're not going back down there." She told him, kissing his forehead lightly. "I'll bring your work to you."

"Miss McCauley…" He began.

"I don't care Vlad," She told him sternly, she wasn't going to let him go back down there. She knew he healed quickly but she didn't want to risk him being knocked into at change over. "You can't wear your shirt, you've got baggy t-shirts. Wear them."

He knew he wouldn't win the argument, she could be like a mother hen at times like this. They would probably end in a compromise where Erin came off better if he kept arguing. "What will you tell her?" He didn't want her to lie, Erin wasn't that good at lying.

"I'll tell her what Becky did and that you accidentally swallowed some of the garlic that she'd spread on your lips from the bread." He wasn't sure whether it would be accepted by Miss McCauley. "Stay and heal. It won't help if you hurt yourself more."

Vlad nodded slowly. Erin walked over to his wardrobe and grabbed the baggiest t-shirt she could find – a grey one.

"I'll bring your work to the throne room." She promised before pressing a lingering kiss to his lips.

"Enjoy art." He answered with a grin, it was something Erin couldn't stand.

Erin rolled her eyes, how could she? Art would be hell with the girls moaning that he wasn't there. She couldn't wait for the next two hours to be over with.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	38. Thrown

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_A few people have PMed me about a sequel to this story already…_

_I'm not sure at this stage. If more people want me to write one I'll seriously consider writing it._

_Please let me know what you think so far._

Chapter 38: Thrown

Guilt had been nagging at Ingrid ever since Bertrand had lost his temper with her. He hadn't lost it in an obvious way but she knew when he was furious with her. He wasn't like Vlad; Vlad displayed his anger in his words and in his powers if pushed too far. Bertrand was far more controlled.

She hadn't thought, she liked having power over her little brother. He'd given her the means to control him and Erin and it had been too good an opportunity to miss. She hadn't thought of it at the time as blackmail nor the effect it would have on Bertrand. She'd hurt him by resorting to it, especially given the fact he'd actually told her about his family. She knew something that no one else did.

She gingerly entered the throne room, casting a glance across to the table seeing the large A2 paper spread across it and the arrangement of breather objects in front of it. Her brother seemed content drawing the range of forks, knives, remote control, figurines and ornamental crockery. He actually emitted a peaceful aura.

If he'd heard her he was deliberately pretending that she wasn't there. She shivered at the thought of how he was acting. "Vlad I need to talk to you."

"I don't think we'll have anything else to talk about." He snapped at Ingrid before throwing his charcoal pencil down so hard that it shattered into nothing more than dust. His back was still stinging – from the cream this time – making him more irritable than before

He really didn't want to talk, least of all to Ingrid. He just wanted to get on with his art work – his concession for missing the afternoon thanks to his sudden 'feeling ill'. He had to draw the selection of household objects in front of him for Miss McCauley.

Ingrid winced at the strength her brother held and he hadn't even tried it hard. "I think we do." Ingrid protested.

He sent her a red eyed scathing look, she drew her eyes away from him as if to stop the feeling she felt as he looked at her with hatred. She shuddered as she felt the chill of his expression cut through her like a knife. She hesitantly brought her eyes back to him.

"I don't want to hear it."

She tipped her head and looked at him with a sly smile. "Then I'll tell Dad. If that's what it takes for you to listen to me."

Vlad stopped, turning around. The entire room began to shake and Ingrid reached out for something to grab as her feet were forced around as she tried to regain her balance.

"You can't blackmail me forever Ingrid." He snarled at her, his fangs showing. "And you really shouldn't have tried to." He flicked his hand towards the fire and immediately the flames stretched out towards them. Ingrid darted out of the way before the flames could touch her.

"Vlad!" Ingrid cried, surprised at the lack of remorse in her brother's eyes. He was clearly trying to make a point.

Vlad wasn't listening though.

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Erin cautiously opened the door hearing the commotion on the inside, the first thing that surprised her was the fact Vlad had lost his temper. He was angrier than she'd ever seen him. Ingrid was practically cowering in the corner. Erin knew she had to intervene.

"BERTRAND!" She yelled loudly hoping Vlad's mentor would hear her. She couldn't believe she was asking for his help. It would be beneficial for Ingrid to have someone who knew how to handle Vlad on her side should she be unable to calm him down.

Erin darted towards Vlad and grabbed his arm tightly spinning him around to face her successfully drawing his attention away from his sister. He gnashed his teeth before he froze realising who it was. He seemed to relax as if all the tension melted away from his muscles.

"Violence in never the answer." She reminded him of his own words. Vlad nodded and she watched as his fangs slid back up into his mouth. She traced a finger over his lips before closing her eyes and stepping into his waiting embrace. He ran his hands up and down her back as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. She could feel him taking comfort in their embrace which was the desired outcome that she'd hoped for.

Erin opened her eyes in time to see Bertrand appear in front of Ingrid and hoist her to her feet. She saw a glimmer of regret in Vlad's eyes at what he'd tried to do to his sister minutes before.

"What me and Erin do at night has nothing to do with you Ingrid. You and Will shared a room, you wouldn't have had to sneak around like we have to." He spat at her, his sister had had far more freedom than he did. He was a prisoner inside his own home. She wasn't.

"Will wasn't a slayer Vlad." She pointed out.

"Erin isn't a slayer…" He didn't know how else to say it, she wasn't one in the truest sense of the word.

"She killed the vampire I sent to slay you!" Ingrid shouted at him, admitting it out loud for the first time.

"Then she saved my unlife." Vlad snapped at her. "Maybe I should tell Dad that?" He snarled at her. Ingrid would be punished severely if the Count found out that Erin had saved Vlad from the vampire Ingrid had sent to slay Vlad – he knew about the attempts but not that particular one. He didn't like blackmailing her back but perhaps it would be the only way his sister would leave him alone.

Ingrid couldn't help retorting, no matter how much she should've thought her words through first. "You don't have a future with her, you must see that. She can never have your children or be your wife as long as she's mortal. She doesn't want to be changed and you'll never bite her."

"Did Will want to be bitten?" Vlad asked outright. Ingrid froze, "Or didn't you bother to ask him before taking what you wanted?"

"At least one of us has the guts to." She smiled at him, although it was painfully fake in an attempt not to show him how much his words had affected her

Vlad was more concerned about the sacrifices they'd made for the ones they loved. To him a sacrifice showed how much more they loved them than taking what they wanted. "I gave Dad half of my power to keep Erin protected." Ingrid opened her mouth to speak but Vlad cut his sister off, "I didn't want to but I told you I will do whatever it takes to keep Erin safe." He looked deliberately at Bertrand as he said that last line and Bertrand nodded, he remembered when Vlad had first said those words.

Ingrid looked down, she hadn't realised that Vlad had sacrificed that much for Erin already. He wouldn't have anything to bargain with their father if she revealed that the couple were sleeping together to the Count. "Vlad just listen to me." Ingrid began quietly.

"Why should I?" Vlad asked her outright, "I can't trust anything you say to me." He pointed out, he'd given his sister too many chances in that past and he simply wasn't prepared to give her anymore.

Ingrid needed to tell him, it was important that she did. She needed Vlad to understand everything without the forced help that blackmail would have brought. She looked up to Bertrand who gave her an encouraging nod. "There's a reason that I was trying to slay Dad,"

Two familiar intimidating figures appeared in the room before Ingrid could say anymore. Cutting her off completely when she finally had the guts to tell Vlad everything.

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Erin was suddenly ripped from Vlad and thrown across the room by one of the figures. She let out a cry as she was thrown backwards with a power that meant she wasn't able to find anything to stop herself. She could only close her eyes and wait for the impact.

Vlad went to grab her but he was a second too slow. His fingers grasped thin air. Bertrand was too far away from Erin as was Ingrid to stop her from her current trajectory.

It was as if Erin had been yanked back by a wire, it was clean and smooth.

Vlad could only watch with wide eyes as the girl he loved was torn from him in a brutal way. He swung out his hand throwing the two figures up against the rafters and pinning them there in a painfully uncomfortable way. For what they'd just done they didn't deserve mercy from him. Vlad didn't know how they'd managed to get back in the daylight but he wasn't going to question them now.

A deafening crack was heard as her temple hit the sharp corner of the limestone fireplace, jerking her head around to the left forcefully.

The impact seemed to slow her body down although she still hit the wall, but instead of her back hitting the wall her side did – something that could cause even more injury to her.

Her whole body jolted as she hit it, her right leg being forced at an unnatural angle – a snapping sound filled the air as a result – he heard Ingrid's faint gag at the sound behind him. He didn't notice only watched helplessly as gravity took over and she collapsed to the floor in a heap of limbs. She lay face down on the floor her right arm by her side pressed against the wall and her left stretching out in front of her. She didn't move.

Vlad raced to her side, cupping her head. "Come on Erin." He whispered to her unconscious form, praying that she'd open her eyes. He couldn't see any eye movement and that worried him more than he could express. Then he felt something slick on his fingers and he noticed that her hair was turning a darker shade rapidly but it could have been a trick of the light as his shadow covered her.

She didn't move, she remained motionless. He felt Ingrid behind him, he heard her heels click on the floor and the rustle of her dress as she crouched down behind him. He breathed in deeply, trying to block everything out to hear her heartbeat. He struggled to hear it.

An all too familiar smell overcame him as he lifted the hand that was cradled under her head towards his face to examine it, at the same time he turned her head gently to look at the area she'd hit against the fire surround.

His hand began to shake as he realised what was on it. It was covered in a sticky, scarlet substance.

Blood.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Do any more people want me to write a sequel?_

_Thanks for reading._


	39. Statues

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Please let me know what you think…_

Chapter 39: Statues

He wiped his hand as quickly as he could on his shirt, leaving a streak of blood there. His hands were still stained a deep red as it had worked into the lines and pores on his hands.

He placed his hand back under her head, grimacing as he felt her warm blood coating his fingers once more.

Vlad made more of an effort to turn Erin over, careful of her right leg. He could tell it was broken, the sound that was made when she'd hit the wall had ensured that but he could see the slight angle it was at.

Bertrand grabbed his hand and stopped him. "What are you…"

"If you move her you could injure her more. Breathers are fragile Vlad."

"She's bleeding!" He snapped at him, "Or can't you smell it?"

Bertrand forced back a growl, knowing Vlad was speaking out of panic. "I can smell it but if you move her anymore it might kill her." The floor around her head was rapidly turning crimson. Bertrand pulled his jacket off knowing Vlad was only wearing his t-shirt because of the burns he'd received. He moved past Vlad and pushed it gently under Erin's head, trying to stem the blood flow as much as he could. He was the best vampire to hold it there as his hands weren't shaking as much as Vlad's were. "We need to get her to a breather hospital." Bertrand told Vlad quietly.

Vlad shook his head, "Renfield…"

Bertrand finished his sentence in a way that spoke the truth, "Doesn't know enough about breather medicine Vlad. Erin can't be treated the same way we can."

Ingrid finished Bertrand's thought, perfectly in sync with him, rubbing her brother's shoulder lightly as she tried to offer him some form of comfort. "Her best chance is in a breather hospital."

Vlad nodded, Ingrid gave him a reassuring smile before vanishing from the room to make the call to the emergency services.

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Vlad looked across at the two vampires responsible for the attack on Erin. They licked their fangs as the smell of her blood enticed them, Vlad let out a growl at their actions. He swung out his arm and he lowered them to the ground before holding them suspended on the floor. Their backs were arched and their arms pinned to their sides as if restrained by steel restraints.

They didn't look remorseful they looked angry at his actions. Vlad wasn't in the mood to be forgiving with what they had just done. He squeezed his fist tighter and they gasped as they felt the restraints digging into them, squeezing their bones to the point of snapping them. Vlad dropped his hand to his side but didn't loosen the slack on the invisible bonds. His lip was curled up into a sneer, his handsome face completely twisted.

"You attacked her!" He pointed with his arm to his girlfriend. His ears had begun to buzz blocking out the sound of her heartbeat, if he was mortal he was sure the blood would be pounding in his ears in that moment.

"She had a stake in her back pocket." Nikos ground out through clenched teeth. Vlad turned to see the silver decoration on the handle of Erin's small stake glinting in the limited light that the throne room offered. The other vampires in the room drew their attention to it. Bertrand didn't seem surprised at it being there. He had a feeling he knew why Erin was carrying it, something the future leader confirmed a few moments later.

"Because I told her to keep it with her!" Vlad shouted at them angrily. "This was the reason why. You knew she wasn't reaching for it." He looked at Erin, there was no way they could have seen that stake when he held her. Her jumper would have covered it and it hadn't ridden up.

"You're going to be Grand High Vampire! You shouldn't be near slayers!" Nikos shouted at Vlad, disgust on his face.

"That isn't up to you!" Vlad spat angrily. "How are you here during the day?" He snapped, glancing back at Erin once more, checking she hadn't changed.

"We came back last night, we were resting from the journey." Hagar told him, "In your cellar." Vlad drew himself up at those words, had they heard anything that they'd argued about the night before? If so what? He couldn't have them knowing about Erin and his relationship when they were on their own.

Ingrid chose that moment to enter the room, "They're on their way." She spoke, giving Vlad a nod. He nodded back to her before running a hand through his hair. Ingrid looked at her brother, "What are you going to do with them Vlad?"

He knew exactly what he was going to do.

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Vlad looked at them before extending his arm out to them slowly. His head tipped upwards as he looked down his nose at them. He needed to get used to delivering punishment and this was going to show that he wasn't going to sit by and let them destroy all that Vlad loved and cared about. His eyes turn soulless and cold, his fangs lowering as he opened his mouth to reveal them in a threatening manner.

Nikos and Hagar tried to move out of his way, fearing the power the young vampire had. They hadn't expected him to retaliate – they didn't think he was strong enough to do so.

They let out screams as their eyes began to turn grey before calcifying as the grey texture spread. Cracks began to appear along their faces as they tried to writhe and twist out of the way of his wrath.

"Please no!" Their pleas fell on deaf ears. He twisted his palm upwards and the process sped up, he poured more power into their punishment in an effort to silence them.

Their entire bodies stiffened, unable to move them as greyness spread along their clothes. Suddenly the process stopped without warning leaving nothing but two granite statues in the place of the vampires.

Ingrid looked at her brother, "You turned them to stone?" Her tone was laced with fear, she had no idea that her brother was capable of that. It had never been heard of before. Vlad shared a dark look with Bertrand, Bertrand suppressed a shudder, he knew that the process was excruciating. The victim was held frozen as pain flared throughout the entire body.

"I can undo it." Vlad told her seriously, he didn't feel as drained as before. This time he managed to carry the process out. He needed a way to keep them restrained without fear of them escaping.

"Vlad…" Ingrid began wanting to say something but she wasn't sure what to say.

He stepped back over to Erin, kneeling beside her. With care he leaned down and kissed her hair, letting his face linger in it longer than necessary. "Please wake up." He begged her but she didn't move at all. "I love you." He spoke loudly for them all to hear but he didn't care that they'd heard in that moment.

Minutes felt like hours as Vlad waited for the ambulance to arrive, he wanted nothing more than to gather her in his arms and hold her but as Bertrand said he could hurt her more. He'd taken over holding the jacket to her head wanting to be as close to her as possible.

His head snapped up as he heard something. Ingrid and Bertrand copied his actions they heard it too. The sound of sirens in the distance. There was only one reason for the sirens. The ambulance.

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The door slammed open and two figures burst into the room, led by Ingrid. She'd volunteered to go meet them knowing that Vlad wouldn't leave Erin. The two men were dressed in green and yellow fluorescent gear. They had equipment with them that Vlad had never seen before. They dropped it beside Erin and gestured for him to move.

"How did it happen?" One of them asked.

"She was attacked," Vlad answered without thinking.

Instantly the paramedic's eyes turned to Bertrand, Ingrid jumped in before they could, "It wasn't him." She snarled. She would protect Bertrand from any accusations.

"Is she allergic to anything?" They asked Vlad quietly, Vlad shrugged he didn't know.

They examined her carefully. "Broken leg." The younger of the two stated. His partner nodded.

They gently turned her over and Vlad gasped. The right side of her face was covered in blood – so much so that you couldn't even see where the wound was. The blood had made its way down to her neck, coating it completely.

The paramedics quickly worked to clean it up. They wiped the blood away painstakingly slowly, it took a minute or two before a large gash was revealed that ran from her hairline to the corner of her eye. It was deep and thick. They quickly placed a bandage over it to try and stem the blood flow for now.

"Her pulse is slowing." The younger noted with a touch of panic. Vlad felt his stomach clench and sickness fill him. Ingrid gripped his shoulder tighter and he felt Bertrand move closer. Ingrid knew what it was like to lose someone and she didn't want Vlad to go through it like this.

"We need to get her to the hospital." He summarised before reaching for the spinal board. He laid the reddy orange board out next to her. "On my count." He held Erin shoulders while the other paramedic went to her legs. "One, two, three." They lifted her together and placed her as gently as they could on the board before strapping her to it so they could carry her down the stairs.

"Can I stay with her?" Vlad asked quietly, "I'm her boyfriend. She hasn't got any family." He couldn't trust Ryan in a place with so much blood.

The older of the two went to say 'no' but he paused as he saw the look of pure worry on his face for the young girl below them. They could fit him in the ambulance. "Sure."

"Where's Dad?" Vlad asked seeing Wolfie cowering in the corner of the room.

"In a meeting with Miss McCauley, something about Governors." If there was a Governors meeting then it could go on for hours. It depended on how many arguments the Count caused while he was there. Vlad looked across at his brother; he couldn't leave him here on his own.

"Wolfie I need you to stay with Ingrid." Vlad told his younger brother quietly.

Wolfie glanced at Ingrid and Bertrand before shaking his head and grabbing Vlad's leg.

"Please don't make me." He begged his brother, looking across at Ingrid in fear. Vlad suddenly realised his mistake – Wolfie was still scared of her as he was afraid of her biting him.

"There's room for him in the ambulance." They didn't know which paramedic spoke but they were currently raising Erin from the floor with care preparing to take her to the ambulance. Vlad would have to be quick in the distance between the school and the ambulance to avoid being burned.

Wolfie looked at Vlad pleading with him. "Fine but you have to stay with me." He told him, "We stay with Erin, understand?" Wolfie nodded before hugging her brother in thanks.

Vlad looked at his sister to see her holding his jacket out for him to take. He slipped it on without another moment's thought.

"Take him and we'll meet you there." She'd get Renfield to take them. She wished she could drive so she could use Erin's car, she wondered if Erin would ever consider teaching her.

Vlad nodded before grabbing Wolfie and following the paramedics from the room.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	40. Waiting Game

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'd like your opinion…_

_*IF* I write a sequel when would you like me to set it? Straight after this one or in the future?_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 40: Waiting Game

Wolfie clung to Vlad the whole way there. He curled into Vlad's side as the vampire held Erin's hand tightly the whole journey.

Vlad didn't peel his eyes from Erin, she was pale, almost as pale as him. He could hear the beeping of the machine she was hooked up to. The bandage was red and the only thing he was sure of was the fact she'd need stitched to hold the gash together.

He could feel the speed the ambulance was using to get from the hospital. "They don't know about vampires or wolves or slayers so you can't tell them." Vlad whispered to his brother softly.

"Why?"

"Because breathers don't think they exist." Vlad answered. The ambulance came to a halt and Vlad dropped his head down to Erin's neck and kissed it lightly taking care to avoid the blood. "I love you."

The back doors were thrown open and light let into the back of the ambulance. Erin was pulled out towards a waiting gurney and deposited onto it gently so not to jolt her back.

He jumped out and looked upwards as he realised he wasn't burning. The entire ambulance bay was covered in a shelter to block out the elements. He turned and hoisted Wolfie into his arms, Wolfie would never keep up as they paced through the hospital at speed.

Vlad grabbed her hand and held it as she was wheeled through the A&E department of the hospital. They reached the treatment area and towards a cubicle. The whole thing passed in a blur for him, his gaze fixed on only Erin.

Erin was wheeled into the cubicle and Vlad was pushed away from her as doctors and nurses dove towards her. "Sir, I'm afraid you can't stay in her." He'd never been called 'Sir' before.

Vlad was numb and this allowed them to push him from the cubicle without him being able to protest.

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The curtains closed around the cubicle cutting him off from Erin, leaving only shadows moving around inside as they attempted to treat her.

"Are you with Erin Noble?" The nurse called, Vlad turned as fast as he could to see a young man in his mid twenties looking at him. The nurse was taller than him, with cropped black hair and tanned skin. He was bulkier than Vlad, almost the size of a rugby player. Vlad's eyes were drawn to the name tag he wore 'Student Nurse Carter', it might be handy knowing who exactly he'd talked to. He gave Vlad a sheepish smile. "We need more information from you."

The nurse looked at him, "There aren't any medical records for a Miss Erin Noble." He pulled the lid from his black biro.

"Why? She must have records… there must be." Erin must have records. Slayers were part of the NHS, Jonno had medical records so he knew that. They had to be so if they were injured and found they could be treated. Even he had a medical record from when he'd been admitted to hospital.

"They're not on the system so I'll need a few details from you." Vlad nodded, he'd give what he could. "What's her full name?"

"Erin Elizabeth Noble." Vlad spoke quietly. It was one of the first personal things he'd known about her, she'd told him when they'd enrolled her into the school.

"Date of birth."

"6th June 1994." Carter wrote it down quickly.

"Address?"

"Garside Grange Independent Day School, Old Widow Road, Lancashire, LA52 1SA." He recited proving then and there why it was important that he knew his own address. Carter gave him a look, "She's staying with my family, my Dad owns the school." Carter nodded slowly, still clearly unsure what to make of the information he'd been given.

"And the telephone number?"

"01632." He paused giving him time to write down the area code, the nurse gave a small nod saying he could continue, "960." He paused for a heartbeat, "637." It was the only number they had at the school, it served both the school office and their quarters.

"Who's her next of kin?" He asked Vlad.

"I am." He answered without hesitation.

"Are you her husband?" He asked looking at Vlad, Vlad blinked in confusion thinking for a terrible moment that the man in front of him knew about vampire customs before remembering in Britain people could get married at sixteen with parental consent.

Vlad shook his head, "Her partner." He answered instead; Carter looked at him in surprise – scrutinising his age. If Vlad had said boyfriend he knew they'd want to contact someone else and to do that they would get the police involved. That would without a doubt bring the Slayers Guild down on them. "Vladimir Count." He knew his records didn't have his middle names on them and eh didn't want to draw attention to them being so… obscure.

"Does she have any existing medical conditions and does she take any medication?" He asked quietly.

"Erin's not taking anything and she doesn't have any medical conditions." He confirmed.

"Is she allergic to anything? Any medicines?" He asked him quietly. Vlad shook his head, he couldn't think of anything she was allergic to, Erin had said she'd never been ill before so he doubted that she knew herself. He wrote it down. Carter suddenly became uncomfortable in front of Vlad, "This might be a little personal but I have to ask." He mumbled but Vlad's keen hearing picked up his every word. Carter blushed the deepest shade of red until not a morsel of his tan remained, "Is she… um… is she sexually active?"

Vlad looked like a deer caught in the headlights at the question, he'd never expected it. He blinked, minutely shaking his head trying to formulate words. He only just managed to form: "Yeah."

Some of the redness vanished but it was still prominent.

Another personal question. Carter would learn to handle these questions in years. "Is she on the pill?" If she was then it might affect what medicines they could give her.

"No." There was no point as she couldn't become pregnant.

Hopefully the final personal question. "Is she pregnant?"

"No." Vlad answered firmly with conviction. He knew that without a doubt.

He felt himself getting embarrassed at these questions. He was glad he was the one answering them and not Erin though. He was also glad his brother was too young to understand what they were asking although Wolfie's attention was on the environment around them. He seemed enraptured by what was going on in the hospital.

Carter turned over the pages. "I need to ask how and where it happened."

"She was attacked in our home." Vlad answered, he was determined to stick as close to the truth as possible. "She was pushed backwards and hit her head against the old fireplace." He closed his eyes at the memories. "She hit the wall and I think she broke her leg." He tried to remain calm although fury began to build in him. If Nikos and Hagar hadn't been there none of this would have happened.

"Have you informed the police?"

"It's being dealt with." Vlad answered, police were useless in their world.

Carter nodded, closing the clipboard with finality, "You and your son,"

"He's my brother." Vlad answered immediately interrupting him and Wolfie gave Carter a childish look of annoyance – his eyes and face screwing up with a childish smile covering his features.

Carter stared, he needed to apologise for his mistake. "Sorry, I thought," He seemed so natural with the young boy he thought he was his son. He shook his head to clear it and changed his thoughts. "You can wait in the entrance to the A someone will let you know how she's getting on."

"Can't I stay with her?" He didn't want to leave her, he couldn't bear it if anything happened while he wasn't around.

"I'm sorry, you'll only get in the way." He gestured in the direction for Vlad to go, the vampire looked at his brother who nodded, resting his head on Vlad's shoulder. He had no choice he could only play the waiting game.

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Bertrand stood with Ingrid, looking around the surroundings looking out of place. He'd heard of breather hospitals but he'd never been there before. It was fascinating and horrifying at the same time. He'd been in vampire hospitals with the wounded in the wars – he'd been one of the wounded. The cleanliness startled him but the smell of disinfectant was overwhelming his senses. It was one thing they didn't need to worry about being vampires – contracting infections externally.

Ingrid glanced around she could smell the enticing scent of human blood from the injuries in the room; she fought to keep herself from giving into temptation. It was making her throat clench and feel raw.

Something caught her eye coming down the corridor and she yanked on Bertrand's sleeve dragging him along. Bertrand came willingly with her, he wasn't afraid of being alone in the room he just didn't like the thought of being somewhere he was unfamiliar with. It was different than entering a vampire's home, all vampire homes were alike – gloomy, evil, gothic and dirty by breather buildings had an air of cleanliness about them, and goodness.

"How is she?" Ingrid asked as Vlad dropped Wolfie to the floor.

"They're treating her now." He answered as he saw Bertrand lower himself to the ground to pass Wolfie the toy they'd brought with them. Wolfie accepted it from him with a slight snatch, hugging the bear to him fiercely.

"Where are the blood banks?" Ingrid asked curiously an idea forming in her mind.

Bertrand glared at her, "You can't walk in and get blood."

"I'm thirsty." She moaned.

"There's a vending machine over there." Vlad gestured with his hand towards the machine.

Vlad heard something, a roaring coming from near him. He sighed and lowered himself down, accepting anything as a distraction.

"Are you hungry?" Vlad whispered looking at his younger brother. "Did you have anything for dinner?" Wolfie shook his head. "Let's get you something." Wolfie looked sheepish; he dropped his gaze down nodding. Vlad held out his hand for his brother, Wolfie took it curiously as Vlad pulled him across the room to the hot drinks machine.

He rummaged through his jean pockets trying to find change in there, he always carried around his wallet and money – unless he was training of course – just in case he needed it, even in the school he might need it.

"What are you getting?" Wolfie asked curiously. Vlad gave him a small smile, he bent down to his brother's level.

"You like soup don't you?" Wolfie nodded frantically, he loved soup. He tried to see the choices but he wasn't tall enough, Vlad bent down and grasped his brother's hips lightly, lifting him up to see the choices. He knew Wolfie couldn't read yet but he hoped he could see the pictures. Wolfie looked at the pictures of the food on there, they all looked the same to him.

Wolfie craned his neck to look up at his brother, "Is there vegetable?"

"You've been around Erin too much." Vlad muttered. Erin liked vegetable soup, it was a quick and easy meal.

"She always gives me some when she makes it." He grinned at Vlad, Vlad shook his head, Wolfie had a bottomless pit for a stomach. He ate practically anything. Vlad dropped his brother back down to the floor and Wolfie immediately wrapped his arms around Vlad's left leg, holding his brother to him tightly.

A voice caught his attention, deliberately loud so he would hear every word, "A son at his age," Vlad turned his head around to see a woman glaring at him. She was in her late fifties, "It's disgusting." That made it twice today someone had assumed his brother was his son.

"He's my brother!" Vlad snapped at the woman, who had the decency to look sheepish. He finished putting the money in the machine before pressing the selection. It was a fairly large cup that was dispensed, it would keep Wolfie going for now which was the main thing. There were croutons in it and small pieces of vegetable. It looked tasty which was the main thing. Wolfie tried to grab it but Vlad got their first. "It'll be hot." He told his brother, "Do you want me to cool it?" His voice dropped low so no one would hear him, he didn't want a slayer to overhear him.

"Please." Wolfie asked. Vlad gently blew on it cooling it down to a much more manageable temperature for the child. He gestured for them to walk back to Ingrid and Bertrand, he sat his brother down next to him before giving it to him. "Thanks Vlad." With that he happily began to drink the soup.

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Ingrid looked around, the room was heavily occupied. She looked to Bertrand who shook his head, he always knew exactly what she was thinking and she hated it. She turned her eyes from him before moving her head slowly to look at her brother who had his head bowed low with his elbows on his knees, his arms made a triangle as his hands locked behind his neck.

"I promised I would protect her." Vlad whispered. He swore he'd look after her but he handed. He'd let her be injured by Hagar and Nikos. He could never make up for that.

"Erin will be fine Vlad." Ingrid told him, "She won't let this get the best of her. She lives with vampires."

He looked up at her, "I can't lose her Ingrid. She's the only person who doesn't think I'm a monster."

Speaking of monsters guilt pricked at her once more. She had to tell him. "Vlad there's a reason I was trying to kill Dad, well I haven't tried yet but…"

"Now isn't the time Ingrid." Vlad snapped at her,

"I need to tell you Vlad and now might be the only time so just shut the fog up and listen to me!" She practically shouted at him. Bertrand grabbed her shoulder in warning that she was getting far too loud.

"Then I'm listening."

She couldn't bottle out now.

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The entire room was silent as the hypnotism clicked into existence. Ingrid gulped visibly, she'd forgotten about Vlad's ability to hypnotise an entire room; most of their kind could only hypnotise three people maximum at any one time.

Although it wasn't hypnotism as so much as freezing an entire room in a second of time. A small time bubble in that room.

People were locked in comical expressions as their mouths were locked in mid-sentence. Wolfie's toy was hovering in the air as he'd thrown it upwards in an effort to amuse himself. He reached up disgruntled that it didn't fall back down to the ground after he'd thrown it. He stood and grabbed the stuffed dog by its right ear and yanked it downwards. The animal refused to move at first as if it was held in the air by a thick wire. Wolfie tugged so hard that he nearly ripped the ear off before wrapping his small fingers around the neck of the toy and sitting down, the use of his whole body weight forcing the animal down.

"You did what?"

"I made a deal with Ramanga." She repeated quietly and Bertrand actually winced. "To get your power."

"And now he won't let you back out." He summarised, "How could you be so stupid?!" He hissed at her.

Ingrid immediately defended herself as a reflex action, "You always get Dad's attention. Vlad this, Vlad that, oh Ingrid can't she's a girl…"

"Are you saying I get what I want?" He scoffed as she nodded. "I never get what I want. I have to fight for it. I want Erin and I've had to fight for her. I've never got what mattered. I don't even want this power. I used to wish that you'd been given it." He muttered, Ingrid's eyes widened at Vlad's admission. "I'm trapped Ingrid, I can't get out of it but being with Erin makes me accept it. I don't want my birthday to come because I know they'll tear me away from Erin. You can have any life you want. I can't."

Ingrid had never considered that Vlad might be jealous of her. He was right she could have whatever life she wanted. Her eyes involuntarily slid towards Bertrand.

"Vladimir Count?" A voice called from the small walkway. Vlad immediately sprang to his feet. Clicking his fingers so the room became animated once again.

"Bertrand take Wolfie for me." Vlad requested quietly, Bertrand looked at Wolfie as if he was an alien. He hadn't looked after any small children in nearly four hundred years. Wolfie wouldn't respond to Bertrand the way he had to Ingrid – he hoped.

He didn't even give Bertrand a chance to answer as he jogged over to the small female Asian doctor. She was a middle aged petite woman, her dark eyes showed her experience in the medical profession and a hardness of seeing the death of people before their time. She was very pretty, her face was make up free and her long black hair was pulled back into a pony tail at the nape of her neck. Looking at her name tag her name was Doctor A. Choudry.

She took a deep breath before speaking. "The good news is that there's no damage to her spine," He let out a sigh of relief at that, "But Miss Noble lost a lot of blood, her right tibia is broken in two places and she sustained severe of head trauma from the blow."

Vlad didn't fully understand the second part of what she was saying so he asked a question that would get him an explanation he would understand. "Is she going to be okay?"

Her only answer was silence.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_*IF* I write a sequel when would you like me to set it? Straight after this one or in the future?_

_Thanks for reading._


	41. Anomaly

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I apologise for the length of this story… it seems to be growing by its own accord…_

Chapter 41: Anomaly

Vlad felt his chest clench as the silence piled on top of him. He could feel Ingrid and Bertrand's gazes burning into his spine. He could feel everything and hear everything.

The steady beat of the fans rotating in the computers, the second hand of the clock ticking, the sound of the vending machine beginning to hum as it forced itself to cool once more.

An infinite variety of emotions crossed the Doctor's face as Vlad waited for an answer.

"Please, tell me what's wrong with her." He begged, if she wasn't going to answer him directly then he wanted to know what was wrong with her *if* anything was wrong with her.

"We don't know enough about Miss Noble's condition just yet. She's due to go down to the MRI for a scan to see the extent of the damage to her skull and brain. All we could do was stitch up the wound to stop it bleeding." She spoke, Vlad felt himself growing dizzy he hadn't considered that there might be any damage to her brain. He grabbed the nearby wall desperate for something to hold. He fixed his eyes downwards, looking for something to fix his gaze on in an effort to stop his vision from swimming. His blue eyes settled on a black scuff mark on the floor. "Any cut to the head means extensive bleeding; it might not mean anything but we can't take that risk." Cuts to the head usually bleed more than a wound to the leg or arm no matter how shallow they were. "The scan is a precaution, and from the way you tell us the accident happened we need to make sure she's okay. Head injuries can be fatal."

"So it might be nothing?" Vlad checked.

"It might be nothing." Choudry confirmed emotionlessly, she chose that tone deliberately because she didn't want to get his hopes up. "There's something else, something more serious."

He looked up from the floor, placing more of his weight so it depended on the hand that was placed flat against the wall. "What?"

The middle aged woman looked him in the eye. It was unusual what she had to say. She'd never encountered it before. "Miss Noble has lost a lot of blood, she needs a transfusion but there's a problem with her blood."

"What kind of problem?" Vlad asked, unsure what this meant for her.

"There is no match for her blood."

Vlad didn't understand it, "Erin can't have a unique blood type. You've got a hospital full of blood, some must match."

"We have Miss Noble's blood type." She raised a hand before Vlad could speak silencing him, "But there's something in her blood an anomaly of sorts that means she can't have the blood in this hospital. We've never seen this anomaly before." No one had seen it; they'd had all the haematologists in to look at the samples. It was something none of them had even heard of before. The process had never been documented.

"What kind of anomaly?" A chill raced down his spine, as fear began to prick at him.

She decided that it was best to talk to him about it, he might be able to shed some light on it but judging by his confusion she doubted that would be true. Still it was worth a shot. "We've run tests and the same thing happens every time. Something in her blood attacks all the samples that have been introduced of the same blood type. It breaks it down before it can be of any benefit to her." Vlad groaned this was because she had slayer blood. It was slightly different to normal breather blood but it shouldn't have caused this problem. Slayer blood and breather blood could still mix, it was evident when slayers wound up in hospitals after encounters with vampires that didn't manage to either bite them or drain them. "Does she have a relative or…" She thought that if she had a relative with the same anomaly that Erin's blood might accept it.

"She's got a brother. Her twin brother." There wouldn't be any way of getting the blood from Ryan. His blood was trapped in his veins; it wouldn't be able to be 'pumped' out to be collected in a blood bag. "He… died not long ago." He was half telling the truth – Ryan was dead in the truest sense of the word.

Choudry looked disappointed at the news. "We have more tests we can run, but there's not much hope that we'll find a match. If there isn't one there isn't any hope of her surviving."

"Can I see her?" Vlad asked softly,

Dr Choudry nodded, before taking him down the corridor to the cubicle he'd left her in. Vlad couldn't wait to get there, he wanted to speed there but he couldn't alert the breather world to the fact that vampires were amongst them. If they ever found out then there would be a sudden increase in slayers.

Choudry stepped to one side to let the young vampire pass her.

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Inside the room Erin was hooked up to various beeping machines. Her face was deathly pale and her heart rate – even if it wasn't clear on the machines – was desperately weak. The right side of her head was covered in a thick bandage in an effort to protect the wound that had been made.

"You can talk to her and touch her but be careful of her injuries and the monitors." Vlad nodded, grabbing a chair and sitting next to her. He grasped her hand in his; he shuddered at the coldness beneath his fingers. He would have mistaken her for a vampire if he hadn't known better.

"What did they do to you?" He whispered, he was sure that it was the reason why they wanted her back so badly.

His mind began to wonder if this 'anomaly' was what was responsible for Ingrid becoming ill when she bit Ryan. The Noble twins were wanted by the Guild for a reason and now Erin was on her own they wanted her back more than ever. He was wondering if anything had been deliberately introduced to their blood so if they were bitten then it would kill the vampire that affected her. Neither of them would have known if it had been introduced to them as children. Was this also the reason why she'd never been ill before?

He shook his head, the scenarios of what the Guild might have done to her when she was born beginning to haunt him. The images varied from a simple injection to much, much worse. The only thing he knew was that Jonno and Mina didn't have a clue what had happened to Erin and her brother while they were wards of the Guild.

"Please wake up." He whispered, "I don't know what to do if I lost you." She still didn't move, not even the smallest flutter of her eyelids. "You're the only person who keeps me balanced, we share because of you. If you go we'll tear each other apart." He stroked her sandy blonde hair, for the first time he noticed that she hadn't had it cut. She was letting it grow out, there was only an extra half inch or so but she was letting it grow. "I'm sorry, I promised to protect you and you're here instead. I never meant for this to happen."

He reached out with his mind, seeing if he could brush it against hers. He felt something familiar there that comforted him but he couldn't do any more.

The curtains to the cubicle were suddenly yanked back and he jumped back putting more distance between them.

A pinched faced nurse came in. She looked like she didn't really want to be at the hospital at all but Vlad was cynical enough to think that if she truly didn't enjoy it then perhaps she was in the wrong profession.

"Not pink." Vlad interrupted seeing her preparing to put the cast on Erin's leg. His eyes were drawn to the colourful roll beside her. "She doesn't like pink." Erin never wore pink around him and didn't own one pink thing. He never classed her as the girly girl type who liked pink and contrary to popular belief not all girls liked pink.

The nurse looked at him exasperated. She clearly wasn't impressed at being told what colour to bandage her unconscious patient. "What colour…"

"Blue." He answered, before thinking again. "Or red." Erin didn't wear any other colours so he assumed that they were her favourites. She loved that blue shirt of his he'd given her, the one he'd ripped and not yet sewn back together. "Give her blue."

The nurse stopped what she was doing and took the pink covering away with her.

She returned a few minutes later and continued to finish putting the plaster on Erin's leg. Vlad wondered if Erin would need physiotherapy after this to walk properly. He had a feeling she would.

The blue covering was as deep as the shirt she loved so much and he was glad he hadn't suggested red, the more the thought about it the more he hated that it matched the blood that had poured from her.

The plastering of her leg passed in a blur for him as he focussed on hearing her heart rate. He was upset that he couldn't focus on her scent, the loss of blood had diminished it and what remained was being blocked by the smell of disinfectant.

He jumped as someone knocked into the back of him, nearly tipping out of the chair. "We need to take her down to the scanner." Carter told him quietly, disconnecting Erin from some of the monitors. The sound of her 'flat lining' made his stomach churn as she was disconnected from the heart rate monitor before hooking her up to a portable one.

Vlad stood and leaned over Erin, he kissed her forehead lightly as he didn't dare kiss her neck in front of the other nurses. They would probably consider him to be weird and he didn't really want to have such a private gesture made in the presence of strangers who didn't understand its significance.

As soon as Vlad stepped back they began to wheel her from the room.

"She'll be brought to the private room after she's had the scan." Carter informed him quietly. "Someone will get you."

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It was nearly forty five minutes later when Vlad's name was called again. Ingrid and Bertrand had left him on his own to give him time to think without being distracted by them. Unfortunately their absence only drew his attention to his worries and fears over his girlfriend.

"Her MRI and cat scan has come back." Choudry told him and once again he couldn't read her emotions. "There is no evidence of brain damage which is a very good thing. The scans show that there is some pressure build up inside her skull but we're confident that it will dissipate. If it grows then we might need to operate to relieve some of the pressure." She needed Vlad to understand the steps they would take to try and save her if it became necessary. "We'll need to monitor her closely to make sure she's okay. With a head injury any change in her vital signs – no matter how small – might mean she's getting worse."

"If she's okay how long will it be until she wakes up?" He questioned.

"With a head injury it's hard to tell. It could be a few hours, it could be a few days or longer." She paused glancing back at Erin, "It's the way the human body heals itself. Sleep is the best healer." She glanced at him. "She'll be moved to a private room shortly where she can be under constant watch by the nursing staff in the neurological unit." She looked at him with a small smile, "Visiting hours…"

His head snapped around to face the doctor; she thought she saw a flash of red in them as he looked at her. "I'm not leaving her." Leaving her was out of the question, it was his kind that had put her in here and he was going to stay with her every step of the way.

Her gaze hardened at the young man, "You're not related to her by blood and you're under eighteen." He bit back a snarl, everything came down to being under eighteen. "Her family needs to be informed of where she is, her parents are probably…"

"I'm all she's got." He didn't mention Ryan, they would want him here and he wasn't convinced Ryan could control his blood lust surrounded by so much temptation. "I won't leave her."

Choudry nodded, "I think we can make an exception." She whispered, Vlad nodded – not in thanks – but he was so desperate he would have resorted to hypnotism to stay with her.

She looked at the young vampire whose gaze had once more returned to the young woman on the bed. His eyes held such strong affection for her that she'd never seen in someone so young but it didn't mean that it wasn't true. Her lips quirked upwards, the girl in the bed was lucky to have someone who cared for her so much.

She walked over to the door, avoiding the woman and man preparing to enter the room, she turned back to Vlad, "Nurses will check on her every half hour for the next twenty four hours." With those words she left the room.

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Ingrid and Bertrand stood in the doorway, Wolfie ran across to Vlad trying to look up at Erin. He was immediately unsettled at how still she was. Wolfie had never seen her so still.

Ingrid lightly knocked on the door, letting Vlad know that she and Bertrand were about to enter. He turned to face her but ensuring that Erin was still in his field of vision.

"I think I might know how to help Erin." Ingrid muttered,

The first thought that came to Vlad's mind was out of the question. "If you're thinking about me biting her then…"

"Erin wouldn't survive that!" Ingrid told him firmly. Vlad would have to drink more of her blood to do that and there was no guarantee that Erin would transform immediately.

"Then what do you suggest?" He was curious now to see what she was thinking. He couldn't think of anything else that might save her.

Ingrid kept her arms folded across her chest. "What if we give her a transfusion of blood typeless blood?" Bertrand pulled a face at Ingrid's use of 'typeless', he was sure there was no such word. Ingrid noticed his reaction and studiously ignored him, focusing on her brother.

"There's no such thing Ingrid."

"Yes there is." Vlad raised his eyebrows at his sister, waiting patiently for her to answer him. "You drink it every day."

The only blood he drank was… his eyes snapped to hers as he realised what she meant.

Soy blood.

TBC

_A/N: I wonder how many people thought I was going to have Vlad turn Erin into a vampire… _

_You know with me *if* I do make her a vampire I'll do it when its least expected._

_Thanks for reading._


	42. Blood

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'd like to ask something, little plots have already begun forming if more people want to see a sequel…_

_If I write a sequel what would you like to see in it?_

Chapter 42: Blood

Vlad hated it when Ingrid had ideas. The last set of ideas involved kissing Erin and that didn't turn out so well for them as she'd done it to toy with his emotions. Any ideas she had never benefited him or Erin.

This had to rate an eight on the scale of worst ideas he'd ever heard and most of them usually came from Renfield – although the worst had come from Erin concerning her blood and a certain book (that there was a silent agreement never to name again).

He blinked slowly, trying to work out whether his older sister was actually joking. "Soy blood?!" Vlad partly shouted at his sister, he was convinced that she'd finally gone mad.

Ingrid didn't seem to take it as a joke; she had a strange emotion in her eyes. If he didn't know better he'd almost say it was hope. "Soy blood is the perfect replacement for human blood, it's synthesised to have everything in it that human blood has but it doesn't have a blood type."

"Are you seriously suggesting we give Erin soy blood?" Vlad hissed.

Bertrand bought his hand down from where it rested below his lips. "It might work." It was something he'd never have considered before but then again he'd never taken interest in drinking the 'synthetic muck', as the Count had labelled it. Soy blood could sustain a vampire indefinitely and was even considered healthier than the traditional alternative.

"It's never been done before!" Vlad spat at her,

Bertrand took over seeing the exasperated look Ingrid was showing, he watched as she pouted slightly as she tried to regain control. A power slip with Ingrid was never a good thing. "It doesn't mean it won't work Vlad."

"There are problems with her blood, she needs a match…"

Ingrid stamped her foot, feeling like a child once more. She wasn't sure who was more stubborn out of their clan at that moment. "The soy blood will be that match Vlad. The anomalies won't be affected; the soy blood might even be able to help deal with them. Her blood won't reject it." Or so she hoped, "It won't harm her Vlad," Vlad knew that although Erin had spat it out when she'd tried it last time. It was even healthy for her. "It's worth a try."

"They said they can't find a match for her Vlad, they're trying to see if there are any matches at any other hospital.

Vlad weighed it up, he couldn't bite her – not that he would without her consent even if he wanted to. She wouldn't survive being bitten with the extra blood loss that biting her would demand for her transformation process to begin. There were no blood matches that could be found for her. Ingrid was right soy blood was the only option for her.

There was only one major snag in her plan. "They'll never set up a drip with the soy blood."

"That's what Renfield's for." Ingrid told him grinning, glad that Renfield had driven her and Bertrand to the hospital.

"How are you going to get the blood?"

"Asking Dad." She told him, she wasn't sure the Count would listen to her enough to bring it but she knew she'd have Bertrand's help in this.

If it was the only way, he wouldn't put up a fight. "Keep him away from me and Erin." Vlad commanded with such ice and bitterness that Ingrid could only nod mutely.

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Bertrand leaned back against the wall. He looked tired, Ingrid had never seen him this tired. Wolfie lay curled at his feet, fast asleep on the cold vinyl floor of the corridor. Ingrid mimicked his actions, she felt tired as well. For the first time she was actually concerned about the slayer. She'd saved all of their lives more than once just for her to be attacked in the most inappropriate way. Ingrid would never have dared to dream about ripping her from Vlad's arms literally.

She looked up and started to trace the bobbled ceiling panels, counting the flecks of pain on the metal supports before tracing the cracks with her super sharp eyes.

The clicking of slightly heeled shoes drew their eyes from the cracks on the ceiling to the end of the corridor. He watched as Ingrid straightened immediately and he wondered if she even knew she did that.

The Count's angry face was immediately in view as he sped towards them the last ten yards. To her credit Ingrid didn't jump.

"I come get back from a meeting with Miss McCauley to find a pool of slayer blood, two new statues and then I get a telepathic message telling me to bring a crate of soy blood and a change of shirt for Vlad." He looked at his daughter, suddenly realising that his rant was going unheard by the one person he wanted to hear it. "Where's Vladdy?"

Bertrand placed his hands on Ingrid shoulders; Wolfie was still latched around his neck. The young pup seemed strangely content with Bertrand; it was a frightening thought that the half werewolf would be drawn to the most openly terrifying of them all. Bertrand hadn't discouraged the youngster, he didn't know why Ingrid suddenly seemed to scare the child.

Ingrid gestured to a cubicle. "In there."

"What happened to him?" He asked in concern for his son, the last time Vlad had been brought to hospital he was in the Dream World. Although it didn't make sense, Vlad couldn't be treated in a breather hospital unless…

"It's not Vlad, its Erin." Ingrid confirmed his suspicions for him.

It was as if a mask had slid over the Count's face. Ingrid found that for the first time in her life she couldn't' read him.

The Count seemed to physically bristle and Ingrid knew not to say anymore. He didn't even look at her as he entered the room where his son was watching over the woman he loved.

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The sensation of someone standing directly behind him was hard to ignore. It was like a prickling all down his spine as his hackles rose. The air became thick with tension which made his ear whistle, he fought to keep himself calm although he could feel his fangs sliding down micrometres at a time. He forced them back into place, feeling as if he was fighting against a heavy weight.

He managed to pretend that the presence of evil wasn't there for another minute before speaking. "Just leave me alone." Vlad hissed at the Count but he didn't take his eyes from Erin's form. He wasn't in the mood for this. He didn't want a lecture at Erin's bedside.

The Count didn't step any closer. "Ingrid told me what happened and what you need the blood for." His voice was soft as he regarded his son with complete tenderness.

"I'm surprised you helped considering she was a slayer." He spat out. He thought he'd told Ingrid and Bertrand to keep his father away from them.

The Count ignored his snipe, "I've brought you a clean shirt." He tried throwing it onto the bed beside Vlad. There was a t-shirt and a blue chequered shirt lying on the bed. Vlad looked at it and remembered that Erin's blood was making his shirt all sticky and rigid in places from where he'd wiped his hands on it.

He stood without looking at his father, pulling off his leather jacket he dropped it onto the chair he'd been sitting on. The Count went to protest as he watched his son yank his t-shirt over his head in front of Erin – granted she was unconscious – he couldn't believe the nerve of his son or his lack of modesty. Any protests however died on his lips as he saw the white streaks on Vlad's back.

"What happened to your back?" He asked his son, Vlad didn't answer immediately choosing to pull the clean shirt over his head.

The Count was offended that his son hadn't thought to come to him about any injury he'd received, then again over the last four years Vlad hadn't come to him with any physical or emotional injuries the way he once had. Vlad had retreated into himself being at the school, he didn't even try to make friends as he had in Stokely. It was one of the reasons he'd tolerated the half fang, she'd given Vlad someone other than Zoltan to talk to and he'd seen the son that had withdrawn into himself emerge once more.

"Garlic bread." Vlad answered eventually, "Erin sorted it." Vlad finished fastening the blue chequered shirt as was his usual habit of wearing ling sleeved shirts on top of t-shirts. He detected Erin's scent on it and knew that this was one of the one's she'd borrowed from him.

"Erin saw you without your shirt?" He snapped. Vlad bit his lip, stopping him from making a remark that would let the Count know that Erin had seen him in a lot less. Vlad could hear the faint rumbling of thunder as the Count chose to make an accusation that Vlad was trying to prevent. "What else has she seen you without?"

Vlad actually faced the Count this time, his fangs down. "I'm not a child anymore." Vlad told him angrily, "Stop telling me how to live my unlife." He wasn't denying nor admitting to anything. He wouldn't deny being with Erin if asked directly, it wasn't something he was ashamed of.

"You don't listen…" He whined, the whine seemed to tip his son over the edge though.

"No you don't listen to me!" Vlad managed to keep himself from shouting and alerting the nurses to the argument that was taking place – barely. "Why can't you see that for the first time in my unlife I'm happy? I actually have someone who doesn't care that I could kill her at any moment." There were at least five ways Vlad could kill her and only one involved his fangs. Erin trusted him enough to let him touch her neck let alone nip the skin there with his normal teeth. "I've given you half my power to keep her safe. Erin is lying in that bed because I convinced her to stay." He gestured to her, his vision becoming more and more blurry with every single word he spoke, "I swore I'd protect her and I failed…"

The Count couldn't take anymore; he marched across the room and pulled Vlad to him. He hadn't hugged his son in years as a result he felt his youngest child stiffen before relaxing. He smiled ironically as he felt his son's arms wrap around him.

"You do love her, Vladdy." The Count whispered, finally acknowledging that this was far more than a crush he had on the former slayer. He had no choice but to do so.

Vlad was trying to save her without biting her, he was placing Erin's wishes above what his nature told him to do. She was slipping through his fingers with every moment that passed but his son was being honourable to respect her – and himself.

Vlad nodded, the Count let out a sigh. He didn't know how he could get this to work; it was all arranged. It had been for four years. The date of Vlad's eighteenth birthday would be the day he was taken to Transylvania and away from Erin – forever.

At the state his son was currently in the Count knew the young couple couldn't be parted.

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Ingrid leaned against Bertrand part out of instinct and part out of curiosity at what he'd do. She felt him tense underneath her shoulder blade but she didn't let it stop her she simply carried on leaning backwards into him.

"Bertrand?" She asked softly, he turned his head to look at her. "Would you consider…" She trailed off, her confidence leaving her.

"Would I consider what?" He asked.

She closed her eyes, she'd never asked for something like this before. If she had a beating heart she would feel it thundering under her rib cage, she'd never felt this way before – not even with Will. "Would you consider letting me get close to you?"

Bertrand broached the painful topic of her reaction to him before, "Ingrid you ran away when I told you I didn't have lands. I don't think…"

"Vlad's ready to throw everything away for Erin, he hasn't said it but he'll do it." She could see it in her brother's eyes; she'd felt the same when she'd asked Will to run away with her years ago but she hadn't felt it anywhere near as intense as she could tell her brother was feeling it.

He didn't understand how this linked to their conversation. "Why are you telling me that?"

"I was scared before, I've never wanted anything other than to be respected but now I'm wondering if power is everything." She admitted quietly. Erin didn't care about power and she was perfectly happy with Vlad.

Bertrand shook his head, "I don't have any inheritance Ingrid, I can't support you." He said it in a resigned way and she knew he wasn't treating it as an excuse. He was from an era where the man supported his clan.

She wanted to say she had a dowry but she knew he wouldn't consider it unless he could support her. His pride was important to him.

She was surprised he hadn't brought up Will. Something in her had made thinking about him less painful and more fond. She was wondering if the therapy had actually helped her heal emotionally concerning Will. Will was sweet and wasn't disgusted with what she did – he wasn't as squeamish as the other boys at Stokely – that's why she'd thought he was her soul mate. They were so alike but she was more like Bertrand. Both of them were unyielding in their actions, they matched each other move for move perfectly and he always seemed to be able to predict what she was going to do next. The age gap didn't bother her, no one would notice as they looked the same age. He had experience which she found extremely attractive, he knew the vampire world and knew how to manipulate it.

Ingrid was hurt when she'd found out he'd used her that once to frame her for locking Erin outside but she was impressed at the same time. She'd never thought of that, she could manipulate but never frame. For her to be hurt in the first place she'd had to admit she was attracted to him. What had sealed her fate as well was the way he hadn't regarded her with disgust when she was pushed into depression. He hadn't spoken to her but she'd seen concern in his eyes and he'd acknowledged her with looks more than her own gather had.

There was another option to their problem., "What if we did get your lands back though?" He looked at her in surprise, "If we took them back from Ramanga. What about then?" They would go to her brother first but she knew Vlad would most likely give them back to their rightful owner.

Bertrand felt hope welling inside of him. She was considering it. He leaned down not waiting for her and pressed his lips to hers. Ingrid froze not expecting that reaction, Bertrand had never been physically expressive in anything but anger before. She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down to her.

She shivered as she felt a spark of electricity fly through her as he slowly brushed his tongue against hers. The kiss didn't last for long just a few seconds at most but it was enough to give Ingrid the answer she wanted.

"We'd better get those lands back then." She grinned at him.

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Vlad traced his hand up and down Erin's warm arm, relishing in the feeling of her skin beneath his fingers. This was how she was supposed to feel to him.

The soy blood bag was slowly emptying into Erin's veins, this was the second bag she'd been given. So far there were no signs that he body was rejecting the synthetic blood. Vlad couldn't be more thankful for that.

Vlad stroked Erin's cheek, he could feel her warmth slowly returning. Her ashen cheeks were slowly returning to their fuller colour. Her lips were no longer bordering on blue they were a rubicund pink once more. He could feel her heartbeat picking up in strength.

The think he relished the most was the way her scent was increasing in intensity with every minute that passed. It was the think he missed the most about her. The faint smell of wood from her coffin and metal from his coupled with the faint smell of lavender.

He smiled; the soy blood seemed to be working. He chuckle escaped him at the thought that Erin hated the taste of the stuff and now it was inside her in a different form.

"I wasn't going to bite you." He whispered to her, "I promised you I wouldn't and I wouldn't go back on that even if it meant losing you. I love you too much to make you one of us."

He brushed his mind against hers and he could feel her growing stronger, _"I love you."_ He whispered directly into it. He thought he heard the words being repeated back to him but it was most likely an echo due to her unconscious state. She probably couldn't receive his telepathic messages fully yet.

Then a voice from the nearby corridor chilled him to the bone, his keen hearing picking out key words out of all the commotion in the hospital. "Do you have a Miss Erin Noble here?" There was only one kind of people who would ask for Erin by name. He should have known this would happen. They would most likely be hooked into every database that was in existence to find who they were looking for.

Slayers.

They would find them and there was nothing he could do to stop them…

…because with a head injury if he sped her away he'd kill her.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_If I write a sequel what would you like to see in it?_

_Thanks for reading._


	43. Unanswered Questions

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_*IMPORTANT*_

_To the person who thought it would be a good idea to report me for 'copying' another fic within thirty minutes of me posting last night._

_The site has found that I posted my chapters (39 & 40) ten hours before the story I apparently 'copied' from *and* I clearly didn't solve the problem by turning Erin into a vampire; I never had any intention to either._

_Please don't insult me before reading both stories through carefully and checking their update times. There is no way these stories could have been mistaken for being the same. I would never copy off someone especially after what happened to me._

_I have my reasons for why I didn't take the obvious option. It is all part of the plot I have interwoven with the story since the beginning and all the strands will be pulled together soon._

Chapter 43: Unanswered Questions

Vlad sped across to the doorway and poked his head around the door. Even though they weren't wearing slayer gear they stood out a mile. Four slayers.

They were dressed almost as police officers although they weren't exactly the same so they couldn't be accused of impersonating a police officer; they wore dark jackets and body armour. The hospital staff wouldn't question them; they'd accommodate them as best they could. Vlad's nose wrinkled and his eyes blackened instinctively as the reek of murderers assaulted his nose.

Vlad hadn't considered it at the time but it was clear that the moment they entered Erin's details on the database then they would know exactly where she was.

He ran a hand through his hair, turning around to face Erin on the bed.

He knew what idea came first to his mind but he knew he couldn't do that. The pressure on her brain wouldn't stand travel at high speeds, it would kill her.

He paced, he needed to think this through. He had about fifteen seconds at most.

He looked to the now empty soy blood back.

Renfield.

Renfield had driven Bertrand and Ingrid there; he could help take Erin back. They would have to go slower than usual but it would get her away from the slayers and back into the sanctuary of the school. The Count had claimed responsibility over her and that only applied to the school premises.

He had about ten seconds remaining.

Vlad dove towards the walls, switching off all of the machines before any noise could be made to alert the staff exactly what he was up to. As soon as he was sure all of the equipment was switched off her sped to her side once more.

He quickly pulled the IV lines from Erin before reaching under her gown to remove any other monitoring devices. He hated pulling the needles from her skin, it was a very uncomfortable sensation.

Vlad then pulled the bed sheet from her unconscious form hoisting her up into his arms. Her head immediate slipped to rest on his shoulder as he tightened his grip on her. He was preparing to leave the room when something caught his attention.

He immediately saw or rather felt a problem with Erin's white and blue stiff hospital gown – it was held closed at the back by two small ties and event they didn't hold it closed properly. He couldn't take her through the corridors looking like that. He'd already pulled one of the sides nearly the entire way around her legs – exposing her unintentionally.

He needed to protect her modestly.

He quickly shrugged off his jacket and the clean shirt the Count had brought him. As soon as the cotton shirt was on the bed, he quickly pulled the leather jacket back on. He couldn't risk leaving that behind, the slayers would know it came from him. They would run a DNA test on it and match his DNA with it. He couldn't risk the slayers ever having the smallest part of his DNA. With care he held her left arm and slipped her arm through the sleeve before moving around to do the same to her other arm. The shirt came down to her mid-thigh. It wasn't perfect but it would help keep everything covered. He quickly fastened the buttons, making sure that there was no way it could slip and reveal anything. He'd never dressed anyone else before, it was unusual trying to do up the buttons on the shirt when someone else was wearing it. He'd only just got the hang of undoing Erin's buttons when they were on the opposite side like all women's clothes.

He pulled her back into his arms, his right arm gently looping under her legs and his right around her back holding her to him He felt the cotton shirt beneath his fingers and knew immediately he'd made the right decision.

Just as he was about to move towards the doorway the slayers entered the room. He took three steps backwards until he felt the back of his thighs touch the bed.

As soon as they saw him and what he was carrying, big smiles crossed their faces.

The kind of smile that made his stomach turn to lead.

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The slayers looked at him, they reached behind them reaching for their stakes. Clearly they didn't think Vlad could defend himself without use of both of his hands.

"Hand her over." The balding man commanded of the young vampire. Vlad gripped her even tighter, remembering to take care with his strength. She didn't need any more broken bones. "It'll be better for you if you do."

"Why do you want her so badly?" He asked, "You weren't this desperate before. You even kept Ryan alive after he was bitten. You didn't know Erin would ever come to you so why didn't you slay him? What's so special about the Noble twins for you to act like this?"

He knew it must have something to do with their blood, the simultaneous gazes on the empty blood bag confirmed that. They looked confused, as if they didn't understand why it was empty even though they knew it was in Erin's veins.

Then it hit Vlad, they knew she wouldn't be able to accept donated blood. That meant there probably wasn't a match for her amongst the slayers either.

They knew more about it than they were letting on.

No one seemed to want to answer his questions as he waited patiently for an answer. He thought that was interesting, eventually a retort came. "It had nothing to do with you vampire."

Vlad stood firm, "It has everything to do with me!" If this affected Erin then it affected him. He wasn't going to leave her to suffer alone.

"How do slayer matters affect the future Grand High Vampire?" The balding one spoke again, he had a scar running down his cheek. He was someone you didn't want to encounter on a dark night. "Or did he fall for her."

This time Vlad growled, his fangs dropping as they all began to laugh. Vampires weren't supposed to do love. Still he couldn't find out what was so special about the slayer he held in his arms. Nigel – the balding slayer – had been present when she'd become a ward of the Guild and he would never tell.

"Hand her over!" Nigel spoke again more firmly.

Vlad lifted his hands, they all looked at it. He didn't seem prepared to launch a fireball instead he did something much simpler.

He clicked his fingers.

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They froze instantly. He knew he didn't have time to waste.

He darted into the corridor finding Ingrid and Bertrand missing, they must have realised that they were slayers as well. He searched out with his mind trying to locate them. There was something in the hospital interfering with his telepathy – probably all the devices that were being operated around the hospital. The link was weakened but he could use it like a compass to search for her.

He couldn't leave them frozen in the doorway, Erin was due for another check-up in less than five minutes.

He walked as fast as he could down the corridor, taking as much care not to jostle Erin as possible. As soon as he rounded the corner he clicked his fingers slamming the door shut and having the door lock before clicking again to release them from the hypnotic suggestion.

He followed his instincts in an effort to find his sister. It felt as if there was a piece of string tied to Ingrid and as he got closer the string thickened into rope guiding him more securely to her. He journeyed down corridor after corridor ignoring the feeling that the building was an entire maze to trap patients inside.

He finally found her outside, taking in the night air. Her eyes widened as she saw what her brother held in his arms. Then she realised that it was definitely slayers that Bertrand had sensed while Vlad was in the room.

Although he was trying to protect her Ingrid wasn't sure that the school would be the best place for the injured slayer. "Vlad are you sure taking Erin's the best idea?" Ingrid asked her brother the moment she saw him.

"Slayers are here, they want to take her. I have to take her home." Vlad told her. "She's safe there they can't take her." Ingrid nodded slowly, he had a point. "I need you to go and get things ready at home for her, take Wolfie with you. I'll take her back with Renfield."

Bertrand looked at the youngest Dracula, nodding. Ingrid looked to him, she'd follow Bertrand's actions.

"Just be careful Vlad." Ingrid told her brother sincerely.

Vlad nodded before walking off to locate Renfield and the car. It didn't take long just a few minutes. It was typically parked in the most ridiculous place that would draw plenty of attention. He was surprised it hadn't been clamped.

He smirked as he saw they'd arrived in Erin's BMW. He wondered whether it had been deliberate or not, either way it was the best vehicle as they would be inconspicuous in that car.

"Renfield!" He hissed, immediately he jumped awake glancing around. He saw the young master standing at the door, Renfield grabbed the door and tried to open it eventually succeeding. "We need to get her back to the school. She's got some pressure build up in her brain so we can't go too fast."

He opened the door telekinetically, he crouched down half stepping into the car, lying her across the back comfortable before buckling her in the best he could so she wouldn't fall onto the floor.

The school wasn't that far away, he only hoped they would get there before the slayers managed to catch up with them.

An idea crossed his mind and he concentrated, picturing the slayers' van in his mind. A smile formed as a selection of bangs echoed around the car park.

With four punctures they wouldn't be going anywhere in a hurry.

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Unfortunately to get to their rooms Vlad had to walk through the throne room, he barely made it half way across the room before he found the exit blocked. Ingrid and Bertrand.

"We've sorted everything in Erin's room, she should be more comfortable." Bertrand spoke quietly, looking at Ingrid. They'd done what they could for Erin in there, while they weren't exactly fans of the slayer she didn't deserve what had happened to her. It was cowardice attacking someone while their backs were turned.

"Thanks." He went to go past them but Ingrid blocked his way.

Ingrid decided to broach the news to Vlad, "And Dad's looking for you."

"Tell him I'm busy." Vlad told them briskly, whatever his father had to say could wait.

Unfortunately that wasn't going to happen as he felt someone speed behind him and wait. The way Ingrid winced he knew exactly who it was. Vlad turned slowly, turning fast could injure Erin further. "I want to talk to you about Erin." The Count told his son quietly looking at the sleeping slayer in his son's arms.

Vlad didn't have time for this, he needed to get Erin settled comfortably, "Dad not…"

"Listen to me Vladimir." The Count told him firmly, Vlad closed his mouth and gave a brisk jerk of his head. "When you are eighteen you know that you are being taken to Transylvania." Vlad opened his mouth to speak but the Count raised his hand, "If you want the girl to come with you you'll have to fight for her."

Vlad blinked, opening and closing his mouth a few times "Are you saying…"

The Count was forcing these words past his lips but he couldn't see any alternative. "There has never been a coupling of a vampire and a slayer Vladimir, you have to show that it is possible and there won't be any consequences for our kind." Vlad nodded, he could and would do that. He didn't want to leave Erin when he turned eighteen; this past day had been hell for him with the thought of losing her and he couldn't bear the thought of her leaving him either. It was a small price if the Count was considering keeping them together.

"We've made it work so far." Vlad protested, they'd had their arguments but they'd always made up and neither of them had actually left although he'd practically pushed Erin to the edge. He promised himself that he'd never do that again.

"You told me she doesn't have living family," He looked to Vlad, not having a living family would mean there would be no fighting for her; the slayers were their only problem at the moment. "It would be easier if you bit her but I know you won't." The Count knew his son would and had taken Erin's wishes into account not to be bitten. Vlad opened his mouth to speak, but the Count continued. "This doesn't mean that I approve of your relationship." He spoke sternly, he didn't approve of a vampire and a slayer relationship. "There is a condition."

Vlad looked nervous and the Count couldn't remember his son looking as nervous as this in a very long time. "What kind of condition?" Vlad finally asked.

"The day of her eighteenth birthday you make a decision." The Count spoke slowly and deliberately leaving no room for misunderstanding.

"What decision?" Vlad asked softly, fearing the answer.

The Count stared at him, "You know exactly what decision." Vlad nodded, he knew what decision he had to make. There were consequences to both sides of that decision. "I still stick by what I said Vlad, if you cross me then I'm handing her over to the slayers while I still have responsibility for her."

Vlad bit his lip from retorting. He was being given a compromise and he didn't want to jeopardise that at all. He nodded, he didn't have a choice.

Ingrid watched Vlad with interest. She hadn't heard the threat before but she felt angry with her father for it. He was letting Vlad think about having a future with Erin beyond his eighteenth birthday and then in another breath he was warning Vlad he could rip it all away from him if he crossed him. She bit back a growl although she could see Bertrand acting the same way. They were vampires they either did something or they didn't they didn't hover in the middle.

Ingrid turned to Bertrand a question on her lips, "Will Vlad let me slay him literally?" If Vlad heard her he ignored what she said.

Bertrand shook his head, they still didn't know Vlad's thoughts on that matter and he had a feeling they wouldn't until Erin woke up. Vlad could only cope with dealing with one thing at a time at the moment and Erin was the one thing that was weighing on his mind.

Bertrand didn't need to have a doctorate to know that the young vampire was feeling guilty for what had happened to the young slayer. They'd attacked her when she'd been in his arms. No vampire would have dared to rip anyone even prey from the eyes of another vampire.

Vlad gestured with his eyes to Erin and the Count nodded, letting him past with the young slayer.

He knew he wouldn't see his son again until she woke up. He would stay by her bed or coffinside until she did.

For that reason he hoped she woke quickly.

TBC

_A/N: Sorry for the rant up the top. It prevented me from correcting a mistake in Chapter 41. I mixed the colours of the casts up. Erin was supposed to have a blue one not a red one. I've corrected it now._

_Thanks for reading._


	44. Six Days

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'd like your opinions:_

_Is there any storylines you would/wouldn't like me to include in a sequel?_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 44: Six Days

The sensation of tickling his cold skin brought Vlad into the land of the conscious. Something warm toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck, he moved his head a fraction trying to dislodge it but it seemed to follow his movements. He tried again but it still remained there.

He blinked slowly as he brought a hand up to grab whatever was there but only succeeded in slapping his own neck. Whatever it was had moved as quickly as it could.

A small giggle snapped him to his senses, his head jerked upright so fast he nearly ended up with whiplash. His blue green eyes met ones of the deepest cerulean blue.

Erin.

He never thought he'd see such a beautiful sight as her perched upright on pillows. Her hair was a mess but that didn't matter for an instant as she was there, in front of him, awake, laughing at him.

"Hey." She whispered her voice hoarse and cracked as she spoke. Dry from lack of water and hoarse from lack of use.

"Hey." He managed before diving towards her and wrapping his arms around her. Lifting her upwards. He felt her arms clutch at his back.

He pulled back and let his gaze move on its own accord to her lips. Before she could say anything he kissed her. Their lips caressed each other softly at first before building in passion until their tongues battled. Teeth clashed in their urgency and Erin let out a ragged moan. He was kissing her as if it was the last thing he'd ever do in his unlife.

She tried to pull herself up closer to him but she let out a groan and a squeak of pain, pulling back from him. Her right leg felt like a dead weight. Pain seared through it as she tried to move it a fraction. It hurt to try to move her toes.

Vlad looked down; the pain flashed across her face as she bit her lips from crying out anymore. He brought his hand down to her waist and pulled back from her completely.

"They broke your leg." He whispered, "In two places." He knew that would take her a while to recover from.

Erin didn't remember that, "I don't remember…"

"After you hit your head." He told her quietly. It was engraved into his mind to replay again and again in the moments of silence the moment from when she was ripped from his arms to her falling to the floor bleeding. It was cruelly in slow motion, his keen eyes having picked up on every muscle that shifted to create her look of surprise and fear on her journey towards the fireplace. His eyes sensitive enough to have heard the sound of her bone breaking and splintering as it did so.

She tried to crane her neck to see her leg it but she was covered by a sheet. "If they've put a pink cast on it…" She knew there was a heavy cast on it, from the weight of it she was glad she was lying down,

"It's blue." He smiled at her. He saw Erin give a visible sigh of relief. She would have happily had blue or red but definitely not pink. He gently moved the bed sheet to show her the cast. "They were going to put a pink one on but I made them choose blue."

Erin realised then that her bare leg was mostly showing – right up to the middle of her thigh, surely if she was wearing a hospital gown it would come down to at least calf length. "What am I wearing?" She muttered, she didn't expect a hospital gown to feel as comfortable as this. She'd never been in one before but she'd heard stories. Even Vlad had worn one before. She lifted her arm seeing the familiar large blue cuff.

"I didn't want you in that hospital gown." He hated how revealing it could be. She needed to be warm in the school and that gown wouldn't provide any warmth for her.

Immediately her eyes went to the shoulder of the shirt, her fingers caressing the now mended shoulder that he'd ripped the last time they were together. "You fixed it." She smiled as she saw the haphazard stitches on the sleeve of her shirt. He'd picked the right colour thread and it was semi tidy stitching. The gesture meant more to her than she could say.

"It's your favourite." He shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. She couldn't reach to kiss him so she pressed a kiss to her index and middle finger before pressing them to his neck. She felt him shiver under her soft gesture.

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She lay back down, noticing for the first time that she wasn't actually in a hospital. Her gaze had been mostly fixed on the young vampire next to her when she'd woken. This was her room at the school but that wasn't the oddest thing.

She was in a large coffin at the school, a double coffin. The lining was soft, she'd only felt something this soft in Vlad's coffin. The lining had been built up as if it were a mattress, the edges of the coffin holding the grey lining in place. An irrational fear overcame her as she realised that she could actually roll over and fall onto the floor for the first time in months.

"We don't really have beds." He shrugged although he thought she'd probably worked it out. "I had to get you out of the hospital. Slayers came looking for you." He ran his hand lightly up and down her arm.

Erin seemed to latch on to one piece of information. "I was in hospital?" She'd never been in hospital.

"You cut your head open, it caused some pressure build up in your brain. Renfield doesn't really know much about breather medicine, the hospital was the best place for you." He spoke softly, he'd hated every second of being there.

She lifted her hand and felt the lumps of what she could tell were stitched, Vlad seemed to wince as she did so. "Can I see it?"

Vlad immediately was worried about what she'd think, since being in hospital her right side of her forehead had become covered in bruises. If she wasn't prepared it would upset her. "I don't think you should…"

"Please Vlad." She begged and he knew he couldn't deny her, not when she used that tone.

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Vlad sat behind her, propping her upwards, she leaned back against his chest. He held the small compact mirror out a foot in front of her so she could get a good look at her face. She jumped at first as she looked into the polished surface, it wasn't her she jumped at it was the lack of Vlad's image in the glass. She knew he didn't have a reflection but she'd never encountered it literally before. Even when he'd been thrown into the mirror she hadn't been at an angle where she could see his reflection.

She felt him squeeze her lightly, "You okay?" He asked softly.

"Yeah." She assured him before turning her head to kiss his cheek. "I'm ready." She assured him with a smile.

She felt Vlad take a shaky breath before hesitantly brushing her fringe aside. She felt his fingers ghost across her flesh but they didn't linger for long. She let out a gasp as she saw the long line in the mirror, from her hairline (directly above her temple and an inch into her hair) to a centimetre from the corner of her right eye. A four inch long gash, there were no jagged edges but it was at an angle. The rest of her forehead and just below the mark was covered in bluish purple bruises. She winced as she knew they would be tender for a few more days at least.

She leaned closer to the mirror and felt Vlad's hands reposition themselves a fraction as they tried to keep her hair from falling across it again. It wasn't as bad as it had first seemed.

She studied it looking at the stitches in particular. There were scabs at either end of the stitched areas. The stitched began where her forehead started and ran for two inches until the cut seemed to shallow and scab once more. It looked vile at the moment with the stitches but she knew they would heal. She might not even scar, if she did she could always cover it with her hair.

It was her first war wound being with him, and for living with vampires it was a record. She knew Vlad wouldn't see it that way though.

She'd never considered ending up with a scar this way she'd thought she'd end up with some around her neck instead.

Erin moved her head away from him, forcing him to let go of her fringe. He looked at her in surprise not expecting her to move like that. He was scared for the briefest of moments thinking she now rejected him touching her until she gave him a warm smile. "I can hide it if I want to." She shrugged, something about it didn't make her feel repulsed. She didn't consider it a mark of pride but instead a symbol of the challenges they faced as a couple. She wouldn't be accepted by his kind and he wouldn't be by hers.

"Why don't you hate it?" He asked, he'd assumed she'd hate the thought of it. That's what girls didn't like wasn't it? Something marring their faces? Then he remembered that Erin had never been a typical girl.

Erin shrugged, she didn't want to tell him her thoughts. He'd laugh, "Because I just don't." She settled for. "It matches yours." Erin smiled at him, seeing the way he looked away. Vlad played ignorant, he wasn't vain he just didn't like thinking about it. Erin traced the small line just above Vlad's right cheek, near his right side burn, it was only small an inch if that. It was perfectly straight and could only be seen in certain lights. It didn't match his exactly but it was on the same side as hers.

"What are you doing?" Vlad asked as he felt her tracing the old mark.

Erin didn't answer him but asked a question of her own. "How did you get this?" She asked, referring to the scar. She'd never had the courage to mention it before but he'd given her an opening.

"Ingrid pushed me off Zoltan when I was three." Erin rolled her eyes she should have known that Ingrid was involved.

He'd been embarrassed at the sight of it originally that's why he'd let his hair grow to cover it and why he'd always kept his parting on that side. In the mirror he'd parted his hair the other way, he winced as he realised that it had made it obvious for people to see. He just didn't want people asking about it.

"Dad went bats at Zoltan for letting her get close. I landed on one of the sharp bricks of our old castle. There was blood, a lot of it apparently." Erin had forgotten that his heart had beat when he was a child, "I don't really remember much about it." He knew how he got it but he only remembered flashes of what had happened but it had been fifteen years ago.

He dropped the mirror down, placing it on the floor carefully. He'd forgotten he was still holding it in his hands. He didn't want to risk breaking it, he wasn't superstitious but they didn't need the seven years bad luck it would bring.

"How long was I out?" She asked him softly, with a scar like that she knew it had to be more than a few hours.

"Six days." He whispered.

She tried to turn to stroke his cheek, failing and ending up with her hand caressing his chest instead. "I'm sorry."

His eyes widened at her apology, how could she apologise when this whole mess was his fault? "This is my fault Erin. I promised to protect you. I let them hurt you."

Erin didn't believe that for a moment, "Did you actually know what they were going to do?"

"Well, no…"

"Then it isn't your fault." She looked up at him. "I won't be like this forever, I'll heal." She placed a hand on her leg, she immediately felt tired at the action. She had to try and shift her whole body to do so.

"You shouldn't be like this in the first place." He snapped at her, there was no malice in his tone she knew that. "I should have used telepathy…"

"Vlad none of us knew they'd returned." She told him firmly, "You didn't know to use that power. It happened Vlad, we can't change it but we need to move on." She spoke bluntly. She knew without a doubt that if he'd known what was going to happen he would have protected her but they couldn't focus on the past they needed to focus on the future.

Vlad nodded, she was right. "I need to tell you a few things…" He whispered only to be cut off as Erin yawned widely, she was tired. So very tired. His lips quirked up sympathetically. Renfield had told him it was to be expected. "You'll be tired for a few days." He whispered, "You need your rest." He shifted his weight from beside her and she felt the lining dip, before he could stand she grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled him back a fraction. Her strength was reduced from being unconscious for so long and not being able to move.

He gave her a curious look, she blushed lightly before looking back at him. "I'll sleep better if you're next to me." She spoke boldly. Vlad blinked before nodding slowly, he'd just have to be careful with her. The truth was he'd sleep better next to her too.

He climbed onto the coffin/bed to the left of her, he turned away and kicked off his shoes before removing his red plaid shirt. He threw it to the floor. He moved the bed sheet and slipped under the covers, wrapping his arms around her waist. He gently moved her beside him. Erin immediately started to fidget as her left leg came into contact with his. "What?" He was confused, she'd never acted like that before.

"Your jeans are rough." She told him with a frown, Vlad relaxed, he thought there was something worse wrong. He sighed clambering off the coffin with care not to knock her. "You know since you came back you wear red more often." She muttered, "Can I have your blue shirts?" She mumbled, Vlad wondered if she was fully alert enough to realise what she was saying. He shook his head before undoing the zip on his jeans, lowering them and tossing them into the corner of her room.

He stood to his full height, clad in only his t-shirt and underwear. He extended his arms wide, "Better?"

Erin tipped her head, deliberately taking her time to decide whether he was decent enough for her. She saw the irritated roll of his tongue as he waited for her approval. "While you're up I want your cape." She muttered, sleepily. Vlad grinned at the thought of what she wanted. "Please." She whispered as an afterthought. He'd never encountered this side of her before. She really was tired from the way she was coming across as rude. He didn't take offence at it, he chuckled instead.

Vlad nodded, he'd become accustomed to sleeping with his cape over him when he was with her. "I'll be back in a minute."

"Thank you." He heard as he moved towards the door. He couldn't help but smirk before vanishing from the room quickly to find the one thing that would bring them more comfort.

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Vlad's eyes snapped open as a thunder pulsed in his ears and an intense headache flared through his skull coming to rest behind his eyes. All the worry he'd had for her was clearly coming out on him.

He'd shifted at some point and pulled Erin into the crook of his left shoulder. He was still on his back and so was she but she rested there comfortably with his left arm wrapped around her waist tightly

He looked down seeing Erin turn into him as much as her leg would let her. He pressed his lips down and kissed her hair, he didn't want to go anywhere near what he knew would be a scar. He heard her mutter something in her sleep. He didn't listen closely to the words but relished them being spoken instead. The last six days had been a nightmare and he was glad they were over. She had a long way to go to recover but he'd be there for her every step of the way even after his eighteenth birthday.

The door banged open and immediately his eyes were drawn to it in panic. Vlad grabbed the cape to cover her before remembering that they were both clothed, but he still made sure it covered Erin as she was only wearing his shirt. He looked at their intruders, resisting the fangs that wanted to slide down into his mouth.

The two uninvited guests looked at the pair of them in Erin's 'bed'. Vlad pulled himself away from Erin carefully so not to jostle her.

He quickly threw on his jeans before they could question why he wasn't wearing them. His speed made the action go unnoticed by either of them. They wouldn't know that he wasn't wearing them. "What are you doing up here?" Vlad snapped, taking care not to wake Erin. She needed to rest and he was content to let her now she'd woken up from her six-day long rest.

The intruders didn't get time to answer as another roar deafened them, echoing throughout the entire building. "I demand to see the Chosen One!" That roar seemed to be very close, barely half way down the corridor. He unfortunately knew those 'dulcet' tones. Why did unlife throw everything at him at once?

One of his intruders spoke then, looking at each other then him in complete confusion. "What's a Chosen One?"

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Is there any storylines you would/wouldn't like me to include in a sequel?_

_Thanks for reading._


	45. Uninvited

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'm uploading a few more music videos today on my youtube account if anyone's curious, I know I've had a few PMs asking for more._

Chapter 45: Uninvited

His privacy had been violated and worse Erin's had been violated. They'd barged into her room without even bothering to knock, they could have been doing anything when they entered.

They had entered his home without his permission. He wasn't going to let it go unnoticed one bit.

"What's a Chosen One?"

"What are you doing in here?" Vlad snapped at Becky, she had no right to be in his home neither did Carl for that matter.

Becky tried to look past him to Erin but he was blocking the sight of his girlfriend. "Erin hasn't been in class for the last week…"

"Miss McCauley knows why and it's personal."

"So she is pregnant." Carl muttered, Vlad's gaze snapped back to him. Fury in his eyes, he didn't know that this was the rumour circulating the school.

"If I hear anyone else saying that you will regret it." If there was one thing he hated more than anything else it was gossip. Lives were ruined because of gossip and he didn't want Erin's to be. "You don't know what I'm capable of." Vlad warned him. He might be Erin's friend but if he believed the gossip then he was nowhere near a true friend. This was the side of Vlad who'd be present for the last couple of months rearing up and his 'good' side was willing to let it control the moment, where Erin was concerned he'd do anything to protect her and this fell under 'anything'.

Carl looked at him in a mixture of disgust and jealousy. While Vlad was the person most of the girls were after, the boys wanted Erin. She was kind, beautiful and cheerful but she could hold her own against any of them. "What are you going to do? Hit me? You got her pregnant!"

A quiet voice echoed behind him, "Vlad?" He turned to her the instant he heard Erin's soft tones; he sat on the edge of the 'bed' a smile crossing his lips. He ran a hand through her hair, smoothing it down, he loved the silkiness of her hair, it felt so delicate that if he brushed it a fraction too hard that it would crumble under his fingertips. He saw her eyes smiling at him, she blinked slowly. He could tell from the glazed look in her eyes that she was still sedated to mask the pain she would surely be feeling in her leg, he hadn't expected Renfield's injection of painkillers to last so long.

"You okay?" He asked her quietly. She tried to push herself upwards but failed.

He looped his arms around her waist and hoisted her upwards, moving her backwards to sit up. "Just a bit of a headache." She answered, with a smile. She knew she would get a headache; any head wound gave someone a headache.

"How many months is she?" The voice of Becky made Erin jump. She glanced around the room frantically before looking over Vlad's shoulder. Two people were standing there in her doorway, two people who had no right to even be there. She didn't bother to check that she was covered because she knew Vlad would have covered her automatically. The question she wanted to ask died on her lips as she saw the negative emotions in Vlad's eyes – there were too many to name.

Then Erin seemed to realise Becky's question, "I'm not pregnant!" She snapped at her, she couldn't exactly tell them it was impossible as they would twist it out of proportion and use it to either discredit her or Vlad. "So I'm not any months…"

Carl cut her off, not believing her for a moment. "Vlad said it was personal why you hadn't been at school."

"Personal as in nothing to do with you!" Vlad snapped, that was the problem with breathers no matter what you said they always interpreted it how they wanted to and not the truth.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of." Becky cooed at her, the smirk crossing her lips at the thought of perfect Erin Noble falling from grace amongst the boys.

"I'm not pregnant." Erin snapped at them, hopefully for the last time. "I've been in hospital. Someone attacked me." She lifted a tired arm to pull away the bangs of hair that covered the wound. It didn't escape her notice that Vlad winced at the sight of them and she felt her heart clench at his action. She forced down the lump that was sitting in her throat. Becky and Carl gasped at the sight of the ugly wound. She then grasped the cape that was still covering her and moved it across to the right. It almost slipped from the bed if Vlad hadn't reached out and grabbed it in his hand. The material creasing slightly as he did so.

The cast was revealed to all, Erin hadn't seen it before so she paused to stare at it. The cast started just below her knee and went all the way down to her toes. She thought it'd be a bright blue like she'd seen before but it was a duller colour that seemed to compliment her tastes; it matched the blue shirt of Vlad's she was wearing. She looked at Vlad as she rubbed her fingers across it feeling the coarse surface. He didn't seem as affected, if that was the word to use, by this cast as he was with her stitches.

She reached out to him, lacing her fingers with his. He jumped at the initial contact before his eyes met hers.

Becky hadn't failed to notice one thing in particular, "But you were sharing a bed with him." Becky pointed out, gesturing to Vlad.

"After what happened I don't want to be on my own at night. That's why Vlad was here." She told them sternly. Vlad almost believed her lie as for the first time she managed to fix her gaze on the others without looking to the side or flushing. "I don't know when I'll be back at school." Part of her didn't want to be with all the rumours circulating. She didn't need anyone to tell her that Vlad hadn't been at school and with them both being off it only added fuel to the gossip.

Vlad sat back down next to her, gently rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. He felt her shiver under his tender touch, he couldn't understand why she acted like that. She should be disgusted with him but she always seemed content to let him continue. "Why are you even here?" He asked firmly. He glanced at Erin's watch on the floor. "At five am?"

"We wanted to check Erin was okay."

"At five am?!" He repeated. He wanted to know why they'd thought to come so early.

Becky looked to the left of her, "Carl…"

That was when the door banged open again and Vlad immediately stood tall, coiled ready to attack should he need to.

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Vlad clicked his fingers and the breathers froze in the room.

Ingrid looked sheepish behind Ramanga, as if she was trying to offer him an apology of some sort. Vlad gave her a brisk nod, he knew that she wouldn't have let the clan leader in willingly.

"Get out." Vlad told Ramanga sternly before he had a chance to put his own spin on things.

Ramanga clearly didn't like being talked to in that way but Vlad didn't care. This was his home Ramanga had no right to be walking around as if he owned it. He had to be the one who showed respect, not the other way around. "What?"

"I said. Get. Out." He repeated, Ramanga clearly didn't think that Vlad would dare to repeat his words.

He ignored it, glancing around the room with disgust. "You have breathers in this place. You have a slayer for a… consort." Ramanga shuddered.

"The breathers weren't invited." He spat out, "As for the slayer she's my girlfriend and I'm not going to change that because of how you feel."

"Maybe I should change that!" He bared his teeth expecting Erin to jump back but she didn't. She remained sitting in the bed, she blinked. He was nowhere near as terrifying as Bertrand could be.

Vlad threw out his arm, an invisible barrier holding Ramanga back. "I could turn you to dust for even thinking about harming her. If you want to know what happened to Hagar and Nikos I suggest you look in the throne room." He was being confrontational, something that didn't always work for him. Erin knew he was angry, he didn't like defending himself and he didn't like his privacy being violated. She reached up and placed a hand on his back where no one could see it, she felt him relax a fraction at the gesture; he calmed enough to utter his next command. "I'll meet with you in the throne room not my girlfriend's coffin room."

Ramanga didn't move. "NOW!" Vlad roared at him. Ramanga nodded, his mistake had been to bow before Vlad when he opened the book. He'd given Vlad respect; he had no choice but to continue with it. Although he knew the young vampire's time was limited.

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The moment the door closed once more Vlad clicked his fingers letting Becky and Carl burst back to life.

He cupped Erin's cheek lightly, "I need to meet with him. It's too dangerous for you to…"

Erin didn't care about danger, being with Vlad would always bring some in one form or another. "Don't leave me here." She pleaded with him, looking across to Becky and Carl. She didn't want to be with them on her own while she was injured. She didn't trust them not to come back once Vlad left.

"Erin we're your friends…" Carl told her.

Erin ignored him, "Please Vlad." Vlad glanced towards them; there was something that Erin didn't want to say in front of them. Something about being immobilised around them scared her.

"What if I fetched Ryan?" He suggested quietly. She gave him a look, Ryan wouldn't be able to contain his hunger. Not that she'd mind so much in Becky's case, a treacherous part of her whispered. Vlad nodded, if she didn't want to be left on her own he wouldn't. He knew Becky and Carl would only quiz her and upset her, he also didn't trust them to leave. "Just be careful with what you say." He spoke, he wasn't afraid of her saying anything wrong, he was afraid of Ramanga hurting her because she spoke her mind.

Erin nodded, "Thanks." He pressed his forehead to hers before pulling back having forgotten about her injury. Erin smiled and pulled his forehead back to hers, he wouldn't hurt her. He didn't even touch that part of her. "Can you help me with my tracksuit?" Her voice was lower so Becky and Carl couldn't hear her. Vlad glanced over to where her tracksuit was kept. Her tracksuit was tighter in the leg and looking at the way her cast bulged out he didn't think that her tracksuit would be the best thing for her.

"I think you'd be better in mine." It would be baggy but it would be more comfortable for her.

She looked through her eyelashes, looking shyly at him. "Can I still wear this shirt?" He brushed her shoulder lightly, feeling the soft cotton beneath his fingers. His family knew that he'd given her his shirt when she'd arrived, and that she had some of her brother's clothes so they wouldn't read into it too deeply.

Vlad heard a deep intake of breath behind them, they were clearly getting wound up by their private conversation, "When we get back I want to find you gone." He told them.

Carl was the one who was confrontational, "You can't speak for Erin."

"You came into my home uninvited." He wished breathers needed the invitation to enter the same way vampires did. "At a time when you knew we would be asleep." Something flickered in Carl's eyes before vanishing, "You either leave now or I call the police." Becky immediately darted towards the door while Carl glared at him in disgust.

"Go Carl." Erin ordered him. She stood by Vlad's every word although she was surprised he'd threatened them with the police considering how 'unusual' his family appeared to outsiders. She hoped it was a ploy, playing on their fears.

Carl's gaze lingered on them for a few more moments before turning away from them and leaving, not knowing whether Vlad's threat was empty or not.

Erin let out a squeak as Vlad swept her into his arms, her arms wrapped around his neck as she felt herself tipping backwards. "You can't carry me the whole way to the throne room." A girlish part of her thought it was romantic and would be even more so without the cast on her leg but she was worried about how his family would take it.

"I carried you before and I'm only taking you to my room to get the tracksuit." He reminded her softly. "Anyway we still have the wheelchair Ingrid used."

There was terror in her voice as she looked at him, there was a reason why Ingrid had taken control over the wheelchair, no matter how weak she'd felt she'd quickly learned not to let Vlad push the chair although she'd used dignity as an excuse. "Can you actually control a wheelchair?"

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The Count was on bended knee before Ramanga. Vlad shook his head in disgust, Erin glanced up and knew which side of him was taking control of the situation. He slowly brought her to a halt beside the sofa. They'd hit a few things but he wasn't actually that bad at pushing her.

"Get up." He ordered, "The Clan Leader bows to the Regent not the other way around."

The Count looked at his son, seeing the fierce determination on his face. He nodded before standing and swiftly darting behind his son. Vlad rolled his eyes at the way the Count cowered behind him.

Ramanga's eyes widened at the attitude the young vampire was taking, he clearly didn't think Vlad could answer him in such a way. He looked across to Ingrid who luckily had the wits about her to pretend she didn't know what was going on. Bertrand watched with interest making a mental note not to be too far away from Ramanga.

Vlad stood behind Erin, holding her arms gently. He traced patterns on the backs of her shoulder blades.

"You came here for a reason, what was it?" He wasn't the Vlad that was afraid of dealing with Ramanga, the others watched him nervously. He could get them all turned to dust if he wasn't careful but he wanted to show Ramanga exactly who was in charge.

Ramanga appreciated someone who didn't beat around the bush, "Where are my clan members?"

"I thought they were mine as a gift?" Vlad played ignorant. "I can't think of any reason you'd be concerned unless they were reporting to you."

Ramanga narrowed his gaze, "They are my countrymen,"

"They're over there." He gestured with his hands behind him.

Ramanga turned coming face to face with the horrible twisted expressions of Vlad's newest statues. Vlad was going to keep them that way until he could deal with Ramanga once and for all.

"What did you do?" He looked in shock, he'd never seen something like that before.

Erin felt his grip tighten fractionally on her shoulders. "They attacked Erin, they nearly killed her. I punished them."

"A slayer doesn't deserve mercy. Especially one who tried to slay the Chosen One." Ramanga reached to backhand Erin but Vlad grabbed his wrist and twisted it three hundred and sixty degrees away from Erin. Ramanga let out a yell as the bones gave under Vlad's grip. He bent over nearly double, Vlad had no remorse in his gaze.

Erin forced a retch back down at the sound. He'd never hurt anyone like that before. His fangs were low, "You don't touch her." Vlad gestured to the statues. "You saw what I did to them for attacking her. Was there another reason for your visit?" He tightened his grip making Ramanga buckle. The older vampire shook his head wincing.

Ramanga winced, forcing out: "You'll regret this Chosen One."

"I know I will." Vlad spoke, but he wasn't going to regret defying Ramanga he was going to regret what he'd have to do. "Dad make sure he leaves. We wouldn't want to get him burned by the sunlight." The Count moved timidly towards Ramanga

Ramanga turned towards Ingrid, a vicious look on his face. Ingrid only nodded she knew what he was asking.

He wanted her to act.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	46. Hearing

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Sorry for not posting last night, I had to walk away from the computer to calm down._

_I had to do something I've never done before in my life – delete anonymous reviews. _

_The reviews I received were nothing to do with the story they were threatening me instead. They were very graphic, very crude and downright disgusting; they made me feel physically sick. I didn't want to leave them there for others to read. There have been twelve of them so far. One for each chapter it seems so I'm expecting more today._

_I won't repeat what they said as they would come under the category the site doesn't have 'M+'. I apologise if anyone read them before I had chance to delete them._

Chapter 46: Hearing

The air was thick with tension. The silence was stifling; no one seemed to want to speak. Vlad looked at Ingrid.

Ingrid immediately seemed to dodge his gaze. She knew her brother was steaming even if there was no evidence of it coming out of his ears. She looked at Bertrand but he seemed to be deliberately avoiding his gaze so he couldn't be implicated. He didn't mean anything by it, it was a reflex action so not to draw attention to him.

Vlad and Erin shared a look with each other, Erin didn't know why the atmosphere had changed but was curious at Ingrid's behaviour but Vlad knew exactly why Ingrid was acting that way.

Ingrid made her way to leave the room but Vlad caught what she was doing out of the corner of his eye. With a click of his fingers the door slammed shut and locked. She tried tugging on it but it wouldn't move.

Vlad was determined to have the conversation that had been cut short in the hospital. "What are you planning to do about it now?" Erin looked at Vlad in complete confusion; she didn't have a clue what he was on about. "I don't think Ramanga is going to let you stall until my eighteenth." He had two months to go and he doubted Ramanga would wait that long.

"What's going on?" Erin asked softly, Vlad had forgotten that Erin didn't know about this.

He turned towards her, his expression softening immediately. "Ingrid made a deal with Ramanga to get my power. The new plan is to kill Dad to become my Regent then sign my execution order."

"I told you I wasn't going to actually slay him, I was hoping you'd stop me. I'm not taking your power either."

"So you wouldn't be tried for vampicide?" Vlad questioned. Ingrid looked down and nodded. He looked across to Bertrand. "I don't understand why Bertrand sided with you on this!" Vlad shouted at his sister. He couldn't work out what Bertrand would gain from siding with Ingrid.

"Actually he didn't." Ingrid muttered, "He didn't want to anyway."

"What changed?" Erin asked, Bertrand usually stood by his principles, once his mind was made up then there was no changing it.

"He stopped them attacking me." Ingrid admitted, she was thankful that Bertrand had been there. She didn't know what injuries she would have ended up with if he hadn't. Erin's injuries were severe enough.

"So this really is all your fault." Vlad pointed out, Erin grabbed his hand trying to help stave off the headache she knew would be coming his way.

Ingrid clenched her jaw, Vlad was looking at her in such a way that he was expecting her to admit it. "Fine, yes it is my fault." She folded her arms over her chest, "Now the blaming is over, what are we going to do about it?"

"All I can think of is that we go along with it for now." Vlad muttered, "We make it look like I don't know a thing about it. Which means we will need to stage a slaying." He rubbed a hand over his face, he wasn't going to enjoy it.

"Are you going to tell Dad?" Ingrid asked him quietly.

"You heard what he said, I cross him and I lose Erin. I can't risk him thinking I have." Vlad told her firmly. It was the punishment that Ingrid would receive that he and the Count would clash on. There would be an inevitable argument and that most likely would lead to the Count carrying out his threat.

"Thanks."

Vlad's eyes flashed. "I'm not doing this for you Ingrid; I'm doing it for Bertrand and Erin. They don't deserve to be drawn into this. After this I never want you to ask me for anything again."

Ingrid nodded mutely. After this Vlad didn't owe her anything but she would owe him.

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Vlad helped Erin onto his couch, she hadn't wanted to return to her room. She groaned as she felt her leg dropping instinctively to the floor. He twisted her around carefully so that it was propped up on the length of the couch.

Vlad had taken to telling her everything that had happened while she was in the hospital, including the most important information.

"So you had to give me soy blood so I could survive?" Erin clarified, she found it hard to believe there was something in her veins that was synthetic. She'd never known that there was a problem with her blood but she'd never been sick either.

"It was all we had. You couldn't accept any other blood, whatever is in your blood was attacking the transfusion that was given in the samples."

"So there's something wrong with my blood? Why didn't they tell me?" She'd had injections taken from her so the Guild must have known there was something wrong at least.

"Yeah. Ryan's too, it's the only thing that I can think of that would want the slayers to keep hold of you."

"Will it kill me?" She asked, terrified. Vlad had never considered that.

He brought her face around to his. "I don't think so." It hadn't seemed to affect her so far. She let out a shaky sigh of relief.

"Do you think it's what made Ingrid sick?" She whispered, "A weapon of some sort in case we were bitten?"

"I don't know." He answered truthfully. "We need to find out why they did this to you, we need to find out about your parents."

Erin looked into his eyes, "You can't bite me." He couldn't read that tone as she spoke and he couldn't read the emotions in her eyes either and that was enough to worry him. "If you do it could kill you."

"Ingrid survived and I'm tougher than Ingrid." He told her, bat vomit had cured her it would do the same to him. However she was forgetting one thing. "I'm never going to bite you."

"Even if I wanted it?"

"Erin?" Vlad questioned,

Erin looked at her hands, "I don't want to be bitten yet but if I wanted to would you do it?" Vlad didn't answer; he didn't know how he felt about that. He didn't want her to become one of them. He decided that it might be best to change the subject. "We're meeting Jonno next week maybe he knows more about your blood before we think of anything like that."

"This week." Erin corrected. She'd been unconscious for one week and Jonno said two weeks, which made it this week.

Vlad shook his head thinking back to what the slayer had said, "Jonno said three weeks Friday."

"He said he had leave in two weeks." She remembered Jonno saying that very clearly.

Vlad let out a growl and ran a hand through his thick hair, messing it. Erin smiled and reached up, smoothing it down into its original place, she liked the way she could feel soft waves beneath his fingers. His hair wasn't straight it was slightly curly, something she thought was strange considering his father and mother's perfectly straight hair. Even Ingrid and Wolfie didn't have any signs of soft curls. She'd never admit it to him but she liked the way his hair was now parted. It made him seem more mature and more in control of himself. "So it's either this week or next week."

"Yeah." Erin whispered before chuckling. Nothing was ever straight forward for them. They'd just have to be there on both occasions just in case.

A silence swallowed them before Vlad managed to speak again, "Some stuff happened while you were unconscious," He began softly, "Some good, some bad."

Erin felt fear gripping at her, he didn't specify which it was good or bad. "What are you trying to say?"

Vlad looked at Erin, he didn't know how to say this, "We need to talk... about us."

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Her eyes widened at his words and immediately he realised his mistake, "I meant I need to tell you something about us." Erin immediately relaxed, her heart was still thundering in her chest but at least now she knew her worst fears weren't about to come true.

"When I turn eighteen you know I'm being taken back to Transylvania." Erin nodded, with him so far. She was trying to ignore the countdown that was hanging over their heads. She didn't want to ever acknowledge it.

"You become Grand High Vampire." Which meant there was no room for her in his unlife. She bit her lip as the words seemed to make her eyes burn. She felt them beginning to swim.

"Dad's made a compromise." Vlad spoke although 'compromise' might be too much of a liberty to use. Erin felt her heart speed up, she didn't dare hope that it might be something in their favour. Vlad ducked his head down masking a smile that threatened to break through as he heard her heart begin to race once more. He brought his gaze back up to hers very slowly. Erin searched his face looking for any indication of what he was about to say, she felt as if she was teetering on the edge of a cliff. His words could bring her back from the edge or push her over it. "When I turn eighteen, if I want to take you with me I'll have to fight for us, to prove we can make it work."

Erin seemed to only latch onto one thing though, in her mind the most important thing he'd said in that sentence. It played over and over in her head like a broken record. "To Transylvania?" She was expecting this to be some kind of joke. "You'd take me with you to Transylvania?"

"It'd be a difficult step." He warned her, "It's nothing like Britain." He wasn't going to sugar coat it for her, "Women don't have rights and you're a slayer." He saw her opening her mouth to protest but he shook his head, she would always be considered a slayer by his kind. "In public you wouldn't have the same freedom until I can change things and I *will* change things." He didn't want any more Ingrid's being born into the world and he wouldn't let Erin remain a second class citizen. That thinking made him sick, it always had. "My customs aren't the same and you'll have to learn about them. They'll try and force as many women onto me as possible to draw me away from you. I won't ever give up on us." His last words were full of promise as he spoke. He nodded his head showing his conviction as he spoke.

Erin hadn't fully realised what life would be like for her if she went with him. In fact she'd never considered the possibility of ever being able to go with him. She didn't imagine an ideal life with him being who and what he was. She'd never imagined it would be anything like that though.

"I want you to come with me, but I'm letting you choose." He paused, taking her hands in his. He couldn't make this decision for her without talking to her about it. He had another one to make when she turned eighteen but he wasn't going to burden her with that now. "Do you want to come with me?"

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Ingrid fiddled with her tie, she couldn't seem to be able to tie it. Her fingers fumbled, the lack of a mirror didn't help. She'd never had to tie one before attending this school and she couldn't do it. Usually she left it knotted but this time she'd forgotten.

Ingrid jumped as she saw something stop in front of her, "You're going to be late."

"Since when has that bothered me?" She answered with a sarcastic smile. She let out another growl as the tie knotted itself completely making it impossible to move. Bertrand tried not to smirk as he could feel the electricity in the air charged ready to release a clap of lightning. He gently pried her hand away from the offending item and took over. He hadn't worn a tie in nearly one hundred years – he hated them – but once you learned it was something you never forgot.

"Aren't I supposed to do this for you?" She asked him with a smile as his fingers quickly fastened the vile yellow and black tie. Black was a wonderful colour – yellow just wasn't and they didn't really go unless you were a bumblebee. He carefully tightened it so it sat comfortably at her throat. She looked down, it was perfect but then again Bertrand always dressed immaculately.

Ingrid beamed at him, she didn't say thank you – it wasn't in her nature really but he knew that she appreciated it.

He walked through the door and Ingrid followed him, she knew he didn't gesture for her to go first but it wasn't a case of manners it was a case of the era he was brought up in. No man walked behind a woman. She couldn't understand how she could make exceptions like that for him but no one else.

She pulled the door to, and locked it manually. Her powers weren't that… reliable when it came to locking and unlocking her door. "Why hasn't Dad made you attend school yet?" She asked Bertrand as he walked side by side with her.

She could see the smile he was fighting to keep hidden. "I'm too old Ingrid." His voice changed just a fraction as he spoke, trying to hide the humour in his answer.

"I'm twenty." She reminded him with a smile, by rights she shouldn't even be at the school.

He couldn't help but mention his experience. "I'm over four hundred; I think I know more than all of the teachers here."

Ingrid found the age gap interesting, she'd never really considered it before. He didn't look any older than her but he had experience in their world. Experience she could only dream of. She didn't care about the age gap one bit.

"It'd make it more interesting." She spoke with a smile, it made him chuckle there was no denying that. She could imagine the other teachers pulling their hair out at Bertrand correcting everything they tried to teach their pupils. "This school needs livening up. I don't know how Vlad's been here for four years." She couldn't bear being here for five months, she had no idea how her brother had managed. "Although I noticed that he's taking time off being here without arguing." Her brother was staying with Erin

She turned the corner of stairs to the second landing of the foyer, grimacing as the stench of breathers overpowered her. The only breather she could tolerate the smell of was Erin, there was something about Erin's scent that made her different to breathers and slayers. She glanced sideways to see Bertrand pulling the same expression as her.

She opened her mouth to speak but saw his attention suddenly snap off her to something down below on the bottom floor. She turned suddenly, following his gaze, the sharpness at which she turned would give a breather dizziness luckily she didn't have that problem.

She tried to seek out where he was looking but his gaze was different to hers with him being taller. She blocked out everything and used her hearing to help her. It must have been something he'd heard that drew his attention away from her.

Then Ingrid heard it, something that made anger burn within her. What they'd just said had crossed the line well and truly.

She didn't care in that moment she was amongst breathers. A full foyer of them at that.

In the blink of an eye she was across the foyer and lunging for their throat before Bertrand could stop her.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	47. Quester

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_***IMPORTANT***_

_I've found a glitch in the site. When I update tonight it won't appear I have. The chapters will be added but the story will be in the same place on the archive page, so you might have to scroll down to find the story e.g. if the story is number four on the page when I update it will remain in that place even after the update because I've updated it on the same day._

_I will update it just won't look like I have so I'm afraid you'll have to scroll down to find it._

_However if the site won't accept it again tonight I'll just upload four chapters tomorrow, I will still post._

Chapter 47: Quester

The breathers all looked at the deranged eldest Dracula sibling.

How dare he say that about her brother? She wasn't usually one for defending Vlad but that had crossed the line – even in their world. What he had just said was vile and sickening. There was no call for it and unfortunately it would be believed. It could have severe ramifications for the young couple if the gossip reached the ears of the school's staff.

Her fangs were poised less than a centimetre from the neck of Carl. She drew them back ready to plunge deeply in; she was fully prepared to drain this breather completely for slandering her clan in that way.

She then seemed to be yanked backwards on an invisible cord. She covered her nose with her sleeve, trying not to gag.

"Garlic." She retched, that gave Bertrand the chance he needed to yank her fully away from Carl by the crook of her elbow.

"INGRID!" Bertrand snapped at her. He didn't need to say anything else; whatever he had to say was in that one word. She looked down before looking back into his eyes.

"You heard what he said about Vlad." Ingrid snapped at him her fangs still lowered. Everyone was staring at them.

"That doesn't mean you bite him in front of witnesses." He wasn't objecting to the biting he was objecting to her doing it publicly in front of breathers. "How do you think Vlad will react?"

Ingrid nodded before letting go of Carl. Bertrand was right, Vlad would be furious with her. It didn't mean she liked it though.

"Thanks." Carl managed to gasp out, straightening his shirt and tie. He brushed invisible dust from himself.

Bertrand nodded before grabbing Carl around the neck as quick as a flash and hoisting him off the ground. Carl's head slammed back against the wall. He winced as he felt the shock reverberating around his skull.

Then everything froze around them, "What for the love of garlic is going on here?"

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Bertrand turned slowly, if anything his grip tightening on the young man's neck. Carl looked to Vlad for help but the young man's attention was fixed on his sister and Bertrand waiting for an answer.

Vlad wasn't impressed, he was nervous enough waiting for Erin's answer and now he had to wait longer because Bertrand and Ingrid had thought it would be a good idea to terrorise the breathers of the school. He could feel something had changed, that had dragged him from Erin's side. He knew that someone was causing a mess somewhere.

"I'll ask again, what the fog is going on?" He changed his wording but it was essentially the same question. He didn't give them change to answer, "I come down to find you trying to bite breathers!"

"I can explain Vlad." Ingrid told him, gesturing to Carl. Vlad narrowed his gaze as he looked at Carl. He was pushing his look with him today. If he wanted to find out exactly what Carl had done to set Ingrid off – and it had to be good for a breather to upset his sister – then it was best he found out where no one could walk in and interrupt them.

"Take him upstairs while I deal with this lot." He had at least fifty breathers to hypnotise. Ingrid and Bertrand didn't move, "Go. Now."

Ingrid nodded before they vanished, Bertrand yanking Carl with him painfully as he pulled them along the corridor.

Vlad turned back to the crowd still frozen in place. He hated doing this.

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Erin was thoroughly confused when Ingrid has fetched her from Vlad's room. Ingrid didn't seem to be able to tell her what was happening. When Erin had asked outright all Ingrid had said was that it would be better if she told her when Vlad was there.

Erin was struggling to push herself out of the chair to slide onto the seat to prop her leg up, when she felt someone grab her elbow. She turned to thank Vlad but was surprised that it was Bertrand helping her out of the wheelchair.

"Thank you." She told him, wondering if he was repaying her for taking his privacy into consideration. She felt him grasp her other elbow and guide her to the seat making sure she was settled before leaving her completely. Erin beamed at him while Ingrid smiled at Bertrand's actions; it was strange to see him doing something like that for anyone. Something about his thoughtfulness made her heart melt – not that she'd ever admit it to anyone, let alone Bertrand.

Erin grabbed her right leg firmly between both of her hands and gingerly lifted it onto the seat grimacing as she felt the cast move a fraction on her leg. The swelling was clearly going down for that to happen.

She heard a sonic boom behind her and knew Vlad had entered the room.

Vlad didn't care for an instant that Carl had most likely worked out what they were. He just wanted to know why Ingrid had tried to bite him. "Why did you try to bite him?"

"You didn't hear him Vlad!" Ingrid began.

Vlad shook his head, snorting in disbelief; he thought his sister was older than letting gossip bother her. "Is this really going to be over something he said?"

"Bertrand heard him as well." Ingrid told her brother, angrily.

"So you attacked him because he said something against you?" Vlad asked unable to believe his sister. She knew that he didn't want anyone being bitten.

"It wasn't against me or Bertrand!" Ingrid snapped at him, "It was about you and Erin."

"If this is about the rumour about Erin being pregnant…" Vlad began.

Ingrid was surprised that Vlad knew about that rumour, but the Count wouldn't believe it if he heard it. He wouldn't believe that Vlad was sleeping with Erin based on gossip. "It half is."

"What do you mean half?" Erin asked, suddenly worried. There was no such thing as 'half' based on something.

Bertrand tightened his grip on Carl's shoulder, "Do you want to tell them what you said?"

Carl's eyes widened in fear. "I didn't say anything."

"What did you say?" Erin asked sternly, she wanted to march over to him and hit him as hard as she could but at the moment she was immobilised.

Ingrid shoved him, but he still didn't speak. She opened her mouth to tell Erin but found she couldn't speak. She couldn't tell Erin what he'd said. Ingrid looked to Bertrand and he nodded, he'd tell her but he wouldn't relish it. "Carl 'suggested' that your attack was the result of Vlad finding out you were pregnant." That was the politest and kindest version of it. He shuddered as he said the words.

"You said that Vlad attacked me?!" She shouted angrily. She looked across at her boyfriend, her eyes welling up as she saw he'd turned away. He was trying to compose himself. She didn't take her gaze from him until he turned around and even then he looked liked someone had slapped him.

She wished Vlad hadn't intervened now. She felt sick that she'd ever considered this boy in front of her as her friend.

Erin clenched her fists. "You're jealous because I love Vlad and didn't take you up on your offers." Carl had asked her out more than once and now he was getting his own back on her and them.

Vlad let his own fangs slide down, thunder roared and a fireball erupted from his palm, shooting over Carl's head as a warning shot. "I would never hurt Erin."

"You're hurting her all the time and you don't see it!"

Erin wished she had something she could hit him with. "What do you mean by that?" Erin snapped at him, Carl clenched his jaw shut.

Ingrid had the answer though, one kind had that opinion. "Slayer." Ingrid spat.

"I'm not a slayer!" Carl quickly retorted, speaking once more.

There was only one smell that was associated with slayers and she could smell it a mile off, she knew the others could smell it too. "You reek of garlic."

"I like garlic bread!" Carl protested immediately. That had to be the lamest excuse any of them had ever heard – who ate garlic bread for breakfast?

Ingrid shook her head, she wasn't that stupid. "It wouldn't be in your blood!"

Vlad narrowed his eyes; he didn't believe Carl was as ignorant as he was pretending to be. "Becky asked what a 'Chosen One' was but you didn't." Vlad answered, he thought it had been strange at the time. "You already know what it is." He watched as Carl's eyes wavered giving him away.

There was some hesitation before Carl spoke, "I don't remember that." Carl feigned ignorance. Vlad didn't buy it for one minute.

Erin looked at him, "Only a slayer would know what the Chosen One is."

"I'm not a slayer!" Carl protested.

Erin remembered something else, "It was also your idea to arrive here at 5am." A normal human would never have done that.

The Chosen One's eyes narrowed, a slayer was the most likely thing but there were other options. "Then what are you?" Vlad asked him firmly. Carl shook his head, refusing to answer still keeping up the pretence he didn't know. "Either you tell me or I'll hypnotise it out of you."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Is that a challenge?" Vlad asked him, he could hypnotise anyone except Erin. No training to prevent hypnotism could match Vlad's power; it was a thousand times greater than the normal vampire's.

Carl dropped his head down; he missed Vlad when he hadn't been so confrontational. This version of Vlad wasn't as willing to beat around the bush nor was he willing to be ignored. "I'm a Quester."

"What's that?" Erin asked seeing the way all of the vampires' faces hardened.

"Another word for Bounty Hunter." Ingrid answered. "And spy. They're not known for their loyalties. If he's here then he's on a quest." That's what they called their missions 'quests'; it was how they'd gotten their name as 'Questers'. Questers were those who weren't slayers but had knowledge of their world. They were powerless but their life spans were long, they could walk amongst breathers without fear or detection. Slayers knew they existed but were just as wary as they were.

"So he was just trying to get close to me, to us?" Erin asked. She couldn't believe she'd let herself be taken in by Carl, she genuinely thought he wanted to be her friend. Erin felt tears pricking at her eyes and Vlad placed an arm around her, pulling her into his side. Fear overcame her, "The slayers…"

Carl shook his head; he might as well tell them why he was here. "I was employed by the Wolves; they want to keep a track of the Chosen One. Even more after he crossed into their territory." Ingrid glared at her brother; she knew there would be consequences for her brother's actions.

"What are they planning to do about it?" Ingrid asked.

Carl shrugged, "They wanted to see if Vlad was a threat."

Bertrand stepped towards him, "Judging from what you said downstairs we can't trust you to tell the truth."

"Who's the Alpha now?" Vlad asked Bertrand softly, there were that many treaties because there were that many new leaders. They were worse than the Roman Empire at the rate they went through rulers.

"Marcus." He answered immediately.

Vlad turned to Bertrand, speaking telepathically to all in the room beside Carl. Erin jumped at the initial contact, she wasn't used to something like this and she didn't think it would come through so clear to her but it did. _"We need to get him here and I need to make an official apology for crossing into their territory."_

Ingrid looked at her brother, _"Are you sure you want to do that?"_

"_I don't want to give them any reason for them to break a treaty, I made the mistake. I need to be the one to fix it."_

"_You don't think Carl will tell the truth?"_ A voice entered making them jump, they all looked at Erin. She shouldn't have been able to do that. _"What?"_ She didn't understand their shocked faces. Vlad shook his head; she was piggybacking on his telepathy.

Bertrand was the first one who could think, the first one who recovered. _"We can't take the risk."_

"_I need you to invite him to neutral ground. The woods."_ Bertrand nodded neutral ground was the best place to meet.

Erin decided to distract Carl from the telepathic conversation taking place, "Why the lies and the warnings?" Erin asked him outright; she didn't like being offered warnings for something that had nothing to do with him.

Carl looked at Erin, he tried to read her but Erin wasn't an easy person to read – she never had been. Vlad was the only person who could read her. "I wasn't sure if you knew what they were."

Vlad folded his arms over his chest and stared him down. "I've never hidden it from her." Vlad tipped his head; he wasn't going to tell him of Erin's former occupation. A silent glance to his sister and Bertrand told him they were going to do the same. Vlad knew Erin wouldn't reveal herself either.

Erin knew the telepathic conversation must be over if Vlad was speaking out loud. Speaking out loud and holding onto the conversation was difficult as she'd just learned.

Carl looked at him; all façade's dropped as he looked at the vampire. "Does she know that to have a true future with you she has to become one of you?"

"I know." Erin told him fiercely. "And it has nothing to do with you."

"I want to meet with the wolves." Vlad told him, "I know you're a Quester and I can't trust you so I'm sending the same message to them. I want to meet Marcus three days from now." That was a day before meeting Jonno. "In the woods."

Carl folded his arms over his chest. "Why should I?"

Ingrid was the one who spoke, cutting in in not such a delicate manner. "Because I'm sure being a Quester some people would be happy to have your head. I'm sure Vlad will be happy to give it to them."

Vlad wasn't going to put it like that but as Ingrid's phrasing had scared him he was happy to let it remain the way she'd said. "Ingrid make sure he does as I asked."

His sister smiled, bearing her fangs in a menacing way. "My pleasure."

What happened afterwards passed in a blur for Vlad.

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Vlad felt sick at the accusations they'd spread about him, how dare they suggest he'd do that to Erin? He'd never lay a hand on her. He didn't understand why people were so determined to ruin their happiness. He shook his head in his hands, he didn't know how to face the people downstairs and have them look at him as if he was…

He felt a gentle hand on his back, his head shot upwards. He met Erin's warm eyes, she hadn't let what Carl had said bother her. Erin looked down; before this had begun they were having a conversation. "I never gave you an answer…"

"Take your time." Vlad told her quietly. "I'd rather get the right answer than the wrong one."

Erin smiled at him; he knew it wasn't an easy thing to consider. She knew what she wanted to say but he wanted her to think it through.

"I love you." She whispered thanking him from the bottom of her heart. He never pushed her and that's what she loved about him so much.

He answered with all the feeling in his heart, "Love you too."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	48. Evidence

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I had an unusual PM today, it's something I've never considered before but I thought I'd ask:_

_Is the length of the individual chapters too long?_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 48: Evidence

The sensation of eyelashes fluttering against his shoulder made Vlad look downwards to see Erin beginning to stir. Her hair tickled his nose as she shifted a fraction so her warm breath ghosted across his chest making it tingle. He grinned as she gently kissed his chest showing that she was fully alert and clearly enjoying the way his chest always quivered at the action. She tipped her head back to look at him fully.

Vlad felt Erin curl into him more as he ran a hand up and down her bare back. He felt her shift beneath his touch, trying to come into more contact with him, her legs was moving violently back and forwards, she'd caught him a few times.

He looked down at her seeing her irritated expression, "What's wrong?"

"My foot's tingling." She muttered, trying to move her leg. "And it's where I can't reach it." She muttered, the place it was tingling was beneath her cast. He gave her a sympathetic look before rubbing the back of her right thigh in an effort to make the feeling disappear.

"You okay though?" He asked referring to her head and her leg, it had been a challenge trying not to knock her leg more than anything while they made love for the first time in well over a week, nearly two weeks. "You don't feel dizzy?" He was worried about her head injury as well, he was a little afraid that it might affect her. "The bruising's fading." Vlad whispered with a smile, he lightly kissed the bruise and her eyes fluttered shut. The bruising was just around the cut now, not across her face as it had been before.

Her lips quirked upwards at his concern. "I feel fine, better than fine actually." She felt wonderful, she'd missed his touch and the sensations he caused in her. He could turn her to little more than jelly when he wanted to. He relaxed at her words, this wasn't like their first time he was just worried about hurting her because she was already in a vulnerable state.

Vlad had missed being with her too, as they'd explored each other he'd felt the tension and fears slip away that had been building ever since her attack. He knew Erin had felt the way his muscles had been knotted under her explorative touch.

"How are the crutches working out?" He asked her gently, glancing at them. Erin had been given them two days ago, she'd been given a crash course in how to use them by Ingrid and Renfield. Ingrid had used one before rapidly moving onto the stick after her illness while Renfield seemed to be an expert with them – worryingly.

"I can get up and down stairs easier." She beamed at him. They gave her more freedom than the wheelchair. Granted she already had blisters it was still worth it.

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A loud rumble filled the air, Erin looked at where the sound had come from – his stomach. Her eyebrow rose as she looked at the offending source, she'd never heard his stomach growl before. He groaned at the noise, he'd have to move away from her satiate his hunger before he became tempted by her blood. It didn't happen often but when it did he felt disgusted with himself for days.

He didn't want to move, he enjoyed moments like this when they could pretend to be normal seventeen years olds in love without his vampiric nature rearing its ugly head.

Erin gave him a light push, "Feed." She ordered, she knew he needed it and she didn't care about him drinking in front of her.

Erin burst out laughing as Vlad tried to move away from her on the coffin, forgetting that temporarily there wasn't a side to it. Before he could stop himself he ended up rolling off the edge and onto the dusty floor with a thump.

He grimaced as his head hit the floor, his eyes blinking closed at the impact. "Laugh at the Chosen One." He muttered only making her laugh harder. He stood and brushed the dust from himself doing his best to look dignified.

"Sorry." She managed to finally voice in between laughs. "I've just never seen you… clumsy." She tried to say with as straight a face as possible but she couldn't help the laughter that was securely in her eyes.

Vlad shook his head, narrowing his eyes at her. He decided that the best thing to do was not to comment. He walked across to her bottom drawer of the cabinet and pulled it open. Inside he'd stored a few bottles of soy blood where no one would see them. He didn't want anyone questioning why Erin had the bottles in her room when she was a breather.

He pulled the lid off the bottle and drank deeply, he could already feel the benefits of it seeping into him. He closed his eyes relishing the feeling. He hated that he was dependant on it, it was the thing he hated about being a vampire. He had to drink soy blood to survive.

An idea came to him and he held it out to Erin to take. She gave it the evil eye the moment it came near her and he bit his tongue to keep himself from laughing. She knew what he was doing, she shuffled away from it (and unlike Vlad) mindful of the edge.

She looked at him, rolling her tongue in her mouth in complete annoyance. "Is this a way to get me back for laughing at you?"

"I might help you heal." He suggested holding the vile drink out to her. The soy blood was in her veins already so the vitamins might help up her healing process. He would never suggest it to her if he thought it would be useless. The last time she'd drunk it was because it was all they had. This time he thought it genuinely would help her.

"You're not going to leave me alone until I have some are you?" She quizzed and Vlad shook his head. With a sigh she snatched the bottle from him and took the smallest of sips.

Immediately she gagged but forced it down her throat. It was a reflex the moment the taste assaulted her tongue. She was convinced it tasted completely different for vampires. There was no way he could actually stomach this stuff otherwise. He gestured for her to drink more and she gave him a sulking look. He nodded, she raised it to her lips grimacing as the thick texture began to slip past her lips.

"It's better in gulps." He advised her. She winced, allowing more of the liquid into her mouth. He watched with interest as she managed to gulp it down. He was right it wasn't as bad in gulps. She cautiously filled her mouth once more with the red liquid before swallowing it. Vlad seemed pleased that she'd managed to have that much, she handed the bottle back to him as he manoeuvred his way around the coffin to sit back down next to her.

He finished off the bottle quickly, placing it down to the side of him. Mindful not to leave it somewhere he'd knock it over later. He then stretched out and lay down next to her before pulling her back to him.

"Have you decided?" He asked her softly, she twisted to face him, "Whether you're coming with me to Transylvania?" He seemed adorably nervous and she couldn't help but find it endearing. She watched the fear and disappointment cross his face as he waited for her answer.

"I've thought about it." She began slowly; she wanted to tell him this properly. It was a huge decision. It was almost as big as if he'd asked her to move in with him. "And I want to come with you."

Erin was worried as for a few moments, Vlad stared at her. "What?" He asked wanting to make sure he'd heard her right.

"I want to be with you in Transylvania." She repeated with a smile, "I don't have anything here and I love you…"

She didn't finish as Vlad rolled her underneath him, mindful of her leg, causing the words to die in her throat. She smiled at him lightly as he came to cup her cheek, brushing her hair from her face. She reached up and placed her hands on his shoulders, caressing the soft, porcelain skin there.

She leaned upwards closing the distance between them, softly meeting his lips with hers. Vlad immediately deepened the kiss, she groaned as she felt his hands slip from her face and down her neck before moving across her shoulders.

He gasped as he felt hers slip to his waist, her teeth capturing his bottom lip in hers and tugging on it. He pulled back, pulling his lip away from her before leaning back in and running his tongue across her lips. She opened her mouth allowing his tongue entry before arching upwards as his hands went unnoticed, toying with sensitive patches of skin. Her eyes snapped open to look into his mischievous ones.

She was at his mercy and he loved it.

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Erin settled herself back at Vlad's side, her chest heaving she shivered as the cold air hit the light sheen of sweat covering her body. Vlad grabbed the bed sheet and pulled it over them, trying to protect her from the cold as her body fought to return to its normal temperature, his cape was somewhere across the other side of the room so the sheet would have to do.

"What time is it?" Erin asked him quietly, feeling sleep taking over her. It still felt early to her.

Vlad looked across to where he'd thrown his watch, he craned his neck to read the display correctly. "Half seven." He smiled at her. Erin nodded before snuggling back down into his shoulder. Then his words sank in. She shot upwards, moving to the end of her coffin, shuffling on her bottom to get to the edge. "What's wrong?" He asked in confusion.

"Vlad it's half seven!" She snapped at him. Vlad suddenly sprang into action; he hadn't taken the time into account he'd just looked at it. "If they catch you in here…" Renfield would be making his rounds anytime now to announce breakfast.

He grabbed his jeans throwing them on in a hurry. He didn't bother with his shirt.

"Don't forget you're meeting Marcus tonight." She reminded him, she didn't mind serving as his personal diary when it concerned his kind. Carl hadn't said anything to either of them since delivering the message but Ingrid had taken it upon herself to keep a close eye on the Quester. Vlad leaned over the edge of the bed and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. "Go before they find you." She smiled at him, he nodded before vanishing from the room as fast as he could.

Within a minute of Vlad disappearing a knock came at her door. Her gaze flew towards the sound. "Yes?" She called out trying to sound as calm as possible although her heart was pounding in her chest.

"Breakfast is being served Mistress Erin." Erin wasn't sure when Renfield had begun to refer to her as Mistress Erin, in fact she'd never heard it before.

"Thanks, Renfield." Her voice remained as level as it was ever going to get. Only when she heard his heavy footsteps going the other way did she relax.

Erin leaned back on the bed and breathed a sigh of relief – they'd been close that time. Next time they might not be so lucky.

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Her stomach began to cramp and she gasped at the sensation, she should have known better than to let Vlad convince her to have a sip of his soy blood to help her recovery for its vitamins. He knew she hated that stuff.

Then something crossed her mind.

With the crutches she hobbled across the floor as fast as she could, taking care not to slip and hurt herself further.

She propped the crutched against her drawers that Vlad had insisted on being installed in her room.

She rummaged in it desperately trying to find something. She couldn't find it at first but then dread covered her as she found them, exactly where she'd left them. It was the one time she'd hoped never to find what she was looking for. She pulled every single one from her drawer with a mixture of fear and dread.

She quickly counted them but every single one was accounted for.

Vlad wouldn't have known how to use them, neither would Ingrid so she searched for evidence elsewhere in her other drawers but there was no evidence what so ever for what she was so desperate to discover.

She made it back to the coffin, sitting down heavily on the makeshift mattress. Her eyes searched the room as if looking for an answer of some sort.

She took a deep breath as another; more rational thought came to her. There was no need to panic. Her attack had probably just confused her.

That thought calmed her almost completely apart from the niggling doubt at the back of her mind that just wouldn't go away.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Are my chapters too long (words wise)?_

_Thanks for reading._


	49. Marcus

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Sorry I had no joy in posting last night. _

_So I've uploaded four today instead. I think it's because I shifted my posting times the other day, hopefully after today everything will be back to normal with posting._

_I think the next three chapters work together best when posted together anyway._

Chapter 49: Marcus

Vlad zipped up his black hooded jacket about half way, the sun glinted off the brass coloured zip. He straightened his collar, tightening his tie a fraction, he hated to admit it but since sharing he was just as dress conscious as the other half of him. He craned his neck back and forth, he must have had it in an uncomfortable position at some point during the night.

"You okay?" Vlad spoke as he saw Erin shakily leaving her room. She jumped at the sound of his voice slamming the door shut by accident. She turned around as fast as she could, using the crutches the best she could.

She gave him a warm smile all panicked thoughts leaving her completely, "Yeah,"

"You're a little jumpy."

"Probably because I nearly got caught with my boyfriend in my bed."

"Coffin actually." He teased.

She smiled at him, unable to stop the corners of her lips quirking upwards at his words. "Whatever." She bumped his shoulder the best she could while on crutches. "Come on, breakfast."

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If there was a mystery that had gone by unsolved it was – what was the purpose of free periods first thing in the morning? Surely if there was a free period first thing then you should be allowed to get to school and register later as lessons didn't begin until later.

Being in sixth form only had one perk concerning free periods – they gave you a chance to do your homework.

"How come you can understand Shakespeare so easily?" Erin asked him, glancing at his homework – his completed homework. She found it harder to read with her dyslexia, the words were more difficult to decode.

"It's easier than Transylvanian… and French." He muttered under his breath, even learning Aramaic had been easier than French. "I thought doing A-Levels meant no more Shakespeare." He muttered, it was something he'd been looking forward to. He hated having to sit through weeks' worth of lessons analysing the characters and the plot when he knew it all already.

"Won't you have to speak French when you become Grand High Vampire?" Erin asked him softly. Surely he'd need to know other languages for communicating with his subjects.

"Meetings with the Grand High Vampire are usually conducted in formal Transylvanian, something I've always spoke."

"Can I hear some?" Erin asked him shyly.

Vlad smiled at her, it wasn't something he was comfortable speaking around her. She'd only heard it once when he slipped and said a curse but it had been so soft she hadn't heard it properly. "Maybe later." He answered, he looked back at the plays in front of them, "It's something vampires like about the breather world, all that violence, death and blood in the plays."

"Are you telling me you know Shakespeare? Ingrid too?"

Vlad gave her a quick shrug, "Ingrid likes the tragedies, gives her ideas. I think Macbeth's her hero."

Erin shook her head, it was typically something Ingrid would like. "She knows he'd killed at the end doesn't she when his people rise up against him for what he did?"

"I think she skimmed over that part." He muttered, making her chuckle. "I've known it since I was unborn." Vlad told her before looking down, "Sounds posh doesn't it." He grimaced as he said those words.

"A little." She laughed. "You understand Shakespearean so what other languages can you speak?" She'd never thought to ask him before.

Vlad had never really told anyone what languages he could speak, it was something he never really felt he had to tell others, "Hungarian for Mum," He answered, "She's named after Erzébet Báthory." Although to most breathers the name for Erzébet was Elizabeth. "Gran wanted her to learn it so Ingrid and me picked it up. We know a bit of Romanian too - it's not that different from Transylvanian, Aramaic," He winced at that on, "And Welsh." Erin smiled but tried to hide it, "What?"

She shook her head, "It's that you know Welsh. It doesn't seem like something you'd need."

He gave a light shrug. "I learnt it in Stokely, it was a Welsh school so you needed to know Welsh. Jonno should know it too."

"You really miss that place. I know you had a life there before but it must be hard to leave it all behind."

He nodded slowly, "Yeah." He'd kept himself to himself when they'd bought Garside Grange, something that had only added to the attraction the girls at the school held for him – he was the mysterious, dark haired stranger they all fantasised about. He glanced at his watch, Erin knew it was a distraction tactic so she let him do it. "I've got training with Bertrand, you've got PE." He smirked as she gave him a dirty look. He kissed her quickly, "It's not my fault I can't go outside." Sometimes Erin thought he was so lucky to be a vampire. She actually wondered If Becky would partner her so she wouldn't have to face Carl.

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Vlad had barely left the table when someone came and took his place, "Why are you still with him after what he did to you?" Becky asked her, Erin's gaze drifted over to Vlad she saw the way he flinched as he walked out. She hated this happening to him. It was amazing how willing minds believed anything.

"He never touched me."

"You would say that wouldn't you. Protecting him." Becky was slightly patronising as Erin frantically shook her head, making herself feel a little dizzy. "I've seen the temper he has Erin!" Becky reminded her, Erin closed her eyes she just knew that would come back to haunt her.

Erin grabbed Becky's arm, Becky's eyes widened at Erin's strong grip. She pulled the dark haired beauty towards her, "Listen to me." She told the young woman angrily, "Vlad has never laid a hand on me. I was attacked by two men, he saved me." Becky's eyes widened, "Carl is jealous so he made that up."

"Does that mean you've never…" Her voice dropped to a whisper, "Had sex either."

Erin answered a little too quickly which was her downfall, "That is none of your business."

"So you have." Becky beamed, Erin glared at her. "I knew he was in your bed for another reason."

"I have a broken leg." She told Becky hoping that excuse would stop her. Unfortunately it didn't.

"You didn't before." She could be razor sharp when she wanted to be.

Erin closed her eyes sighing, she knew it would be futile what she was about to ask, "Please just leave us alone."

Becky heard the genuine plea in Erin's tone, usually she wouldn't have listened but Erin actually didn't want to talk about this and she wouldn't tell her anything more. If she was going to let it drop – for now – like Erin asked, she wanted to know one thing. "He didn't touch you?" Becky wanted to know for sure, she hadn't believed it fully but there were some things that told her otherwise – witnessing his temper had been one of them.

"No and he would never hurt me." Erin looked at the doorway where Vlad had left, "Rumours hurt Becky. Carl was just annoyed so he took it out on Vlad,"

Becky looked at Erin for the first time seeing the truth, "You really do love him."

Erin looked down at her hands, if her suspicions were confirmed it would be all that would keep her going. "I do and he loves me too."

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Erin leaned back into Vlad as he held most of her weight; his arms were wrapped around her protectively. He knew it hurt her to put her weight on the crutches so he was being her crutch.

"How long does it usually take for the wolves to arrive?" Erin asked Vlad quietly, she felt tired and her stomach was still cramping.

He kissed her forehead lightly, although his lips landed more in her hairline than anywhere else. "I've never met one before." He admitted, he'd seen pictures of them while he was growing up and had heard talk of them but he'd never actually seen one.

"Why isn't that a comfort?" She asked quietly making him smile.

A large black shape appeared in the distance and Erin felt his arms tighten around her as he gently manoeuvred her into his left side to support her. Erin knew he couldn't appear to be hiding behind anyone even if he wasn't.

The black shape was tall, taller than the Count or even Bertrand. It was even bulkier than the latter. As it drew closer she heard the hisses behind her from the other vampires. An attractive man appeared from behind the trees, he wore torn jeans and a vest shirt. His hair was long and grey reaching down to the middle of his back. His eyes were grey and had experience. He wasn't as young as some of the other Alphas had been but he clearly was someone who commanded respect judging by the way he held himself.

"Chosen One." He greeted, he was perfectly alone. He either trusted them or was overconfident in his abilities to stop them harming him.

Marcus looked at Erin, "You have a pet." He smiled warmly at her and Erin was confused at whether what he said was a compliment or an insult. She looked at Vlad, he seemed to bristle but didn't react so she decided that it would be best to follow his lead.

"What do you want Chosen One?"

Vlad wanted to get straight to the point, "I wanted to apologise for crossing into your territory."

Vlad knew that an apology was only the first step, the wolf in front of him would have to consult his Betas but if he admitted it to them in person rather than Carl doing so he had a chance that things could be settled in his favour. It was better to deal with the wolves now rather than facing them after the slayers. He could wipe the wolves out easily and they knew that but if there were mass slayings once more they might press for the advantage.

Marcus blinked, he wasn't sure if he'd heard the young vampire correctly. "You crossed into it deliberately; you injured one of my mutts." Vlad looked at Marcus, he seemed to be only aware of that one time. He was willing to just let that be the only time Marcus knew of. He stepped closer to the young vampire, "There had better be a good reason for it."

"Vlad was injured." Erin interrupted, drawing looks from them all. She couldn't help saying it, she was fearing for Vlad's safety when she had. "He couldn't travel any further, he had no choice but to take us there."

"How was he injured? He looks fine now." It was almost a month on since that incident, there wouldn't be any signs even if Vlad wanted them to be.

"Immobiliser." Erin answered, "It temporarily paralyses a vampire, it makes them easier for interrogating and slaying. A coward's weapon."

"And the injury to my Mutt?"

"He attacked Erin." Vlad answered, "I had to protect her and I will protect her." Erin looked up at Vlad her eyes softening.

Marcus gazed into her eyes, her pupils weren't dilated any more than they should be in the limited light. There was no increase in heart rate, although he was still surprised at the company the future Grand High Vampire kept. There were no increases in perspiration. "An honest woman." Marcus smiled; it was rare to come across one. They were formidable amongst his kind, an honest woman was a deadly thing to cross because if they never bluffed. You knew exactly what to expect and they wouldn't listen to lies.

Vlad quirked an eyebrow at that. Erin dared him not to say anything with her eyes. He bit his lip and looked down before Marcus could see him. He wouldn't have pegged Erin as honest until recently although if he told the truth it wasn't lies it was a problem with opening up.

"How does she know so much about it?" He asked Vlad. He sniffed her lightly a smirk crossing his face, the Chosen One did really keep interesting company, "Slayer blood but she's not a slayer." He sniffed again, his nose was far more advanced than a vampire's. "She smells a bit like you."

The Count looked to his son immediately, hoping that didn't mean what he thought it did. Vlad didn't blink.

Marcus seemed to sense the Count's reaction and clarified as he wasn't going to be the one to cause problems for the Chosen One. He could smell the young slayer all over the vampire in front of him, it was as if she was in his skin. Rarely was there a match like that. "She smells like your kind."

Vlad held his gaze, "She lives with us."

"That explains it." He glanced towards Ingrid, "I've heard a lot about you, defying your father to avenge the man you loved." Erin didn't need to see Bertrand to know that he'd flinched at that. She might not have said anything out loud and neither had they but she knew that he held something for the young woman. Marcus seemed to sense what she knew and looked at Bertrand, "You've moved on and found a replacement I see." Vlad threw out his hand, signalling for Ingrid not to react.

Marcus looked at the young woman in front of him again. "Is she your mate?" Erin blinked for a moment trying to understand what he meant, it was one of those words where the modern meaning came to the forefront of your mind rather than the archaic meaning.

"No." Vlad answered.

Marcus nodded, "You're too young to have a formal mate. Not a potential one, no signs of it." He mused looking at Erin carefully, Erin felt self conscious under the gaze of the wolf leader. "I meant an informal one." Erin was still confused, she didn't understand the concept of an informal mate. He saw the confusion on the young slayer's face, "An informal mate is a girlfriend, an arrangement that can either be broken off or strengthened. A formal mate is a union of marriage."

Erin nodded slowly, understanding him. She never thought he would explain it to her, she was honoured.

Vlad didn't see any point in denying anything. "She's my girlfriend, yes."

"You hold her upright although it's beneath you." Marcus noted, any vampire in authority wouldn't touch anyone else in a formal meeting but in front of him the vampire was supporting his girlfriend. It spoke volumes for a kind who didn't use any form of contact. It told him that the vampire would support the truce if he supported the things he cared about.

"I love her." Vlad spoke clearly to the wolf. Marcus looked surprised that a vampire had actually admitted it especially when those around him winced. The young girl looked up at him and brushed his neck lightly. Marcus smiled, she knew what the gesture meant. "I wanted to speak to you about your Quester. He has been spreading rumours about me." Vlad spoke slowly.

Marcus seemed surprised at that. "I haven't given him any orders to." It wasn't the styles of the wolves. "May I ask what the rumours are?"

Vlad looked at him, anger burning in his eyes. "That I attacked my girlfriend." The Wolf looked at him trying to work out whether the vampire was telling the truth. He could see the pain in the young one's eyes as he'd spoken the accusation.

"I assure you we have never given him orders to do such a thing." To spread a rumour like that was forbidden in their society as well. Vampires were known for not harming their women, to do so was a disgrace.

"I'm insulted by his words." Vlad hated speaking so formally, but it had to be done.

"I promise to deal with him." The werewolf bowed his head in respect, lies served no one, they only helped create war. "I'll take your words back to the Betas. We'll meet before the next full moon Chosen One, we'll have made a decision then about your trespassing into our territory."

All Vlad could hope was the decision would be in his favour.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	50. Late

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_The second of four chapters I'm posting tonight._

_Thank you for your concern about the disgusting reviews I've been receiving. The site is now blocking them for me._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 50: Late

Erin had her arms wrapped around herself when Ingrid found her.

"Isn't Vlad around to keep you warm?"

"Bite someone else Ingrid." Erin snarled at her, she really wasn't in the mood for Ingrid.

"Okay what's bitten your neck?" Ingrid asked her softly unsure how to respond to Erin's retort.

"Nothing." Erin answered quietly looking down at her hands. She gave a sigh, "Sorry for snapping." She whispered, she didn't want Ingrid to retaliate. To her surprise Ingrid sat down next to her. Not right next to her but a respectable distance away.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't say." Erin whispered, she could be wrong although deep down she knew she wasn't, but until it was confirmed there was no point in worrying anyone.

"Erin…" Ingrid began quietly, "I promise I won't tell anyone." Erin's gaze snapped to Vlad's sister's she'd never heard that tone before. She could see that Ingrid wasn't up to anything which was worrying in itself.

"Why do you want to help me?"

"Us girls have got to stick together, especially as you're the only one Vlad listens to." That would be very important if she ever needed Erin on her side.

"So you're trying to corrupt me?"

"Vlad's already done that enough already." Ingrid joked. Vlad had managed to turn Erin away from being a slayer without even really trying to. He'd said something that made Erin give up trying to kill them. Erin didn't smile she just stared downwards. "What's wrong?" She asked again.

Erin's voice came out as little more as a breath, "I think I've ruined Vlad's future."

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Ingrid shook her head, she knew what it felt like to love a breather although she knew that her feelings nowhere near equalled the ones Vlad had for Erin. Vlad loving Erin hadn't ruined his future, it had made it instead. "Vlad wants you to go with him, he won't accept anyone else. Dad will try to throw women at him but I know he won't pick anyone else." Ingrid knew her brother had made a decision and Vlad always stuck to them.

"I'm a slayer Ingrid, I don't have a place in your world."

Ingrid was tempted to reach out to the young slayer but decided that it was better not to. "If you love my brother, talk to him. If you don't want to go with him he deserves to know that much." There was something else going on here she didn't believe that Erin didn't want to go with Vlad, something else was forcing her hand.

A noise behind them made Ingrid look up suddenly. She saw the furrowed brow of Bertrand, he'd never seen Erin like this before. He gestured with his head that he wanted a word with her. Ingrid nodded, standing quickly – Erin didn't even notice her actions. She doubted she would even notice if she left the room.

Quietly she glided across the floor to the door; slipping through it she was surprised when Bertrand closed the door behind her. She felt something coiling in her stomach, he never closed the door unless it was important.

"She loves him." Bertrand whispered.

"Yeah." Ingrid remembered joking about it once but now it seemed in bad taste after everything they'd been through so far.

"Ingrid?" Bertrand asked her quietly, she immediately grew worried at the way he was acting. "You said you'd lost someone before." She nodded, she remembered telling him that. She'd lost Will years ago and he'd asked about Stokely so she'd thought it was only fair to tell him. "Am I just going to be a replacement?"

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The road was silent as they waited on it. They'd been here for two hours so far and Erin was beginning to think that Jonno definitely wasn't coming. She'd been seated at the roadside for an hour and a half until the damp seeping through her jeans had become too much to bear.

She watched as Vlad moved back and forth trying to see if he could sense anything in the darkness. The moonlight bounced off the back of his cloak, turning the leather white in different angles, an absent minded thought crossed her that Wolfie must have been going through his transformation process or would be soon.

Something about his cloak caught her eye and a nagging question flooded to the forefront of her mind. "Why do you have two cloaks?" She asked gesturing to the one he wore; Vlad looked down at it in confusion. The one with the crest was currently in her room he was wearing a plain one here at the roadside. When she'd met him he'd worn the crested cloak but when he'd come to rescue her he'd worn the plain cloak. She was curious why he didn't have two identical cloaks.

Vlad finally seemed to understand what she meant. "One's my clan cloak for formal occasions or important ones," Erin nodded she was with him so far, "And this one is so people don't know which clan I'm part of so they can't attack my family or know who was responsible for anything."

"Which is why you wore it to fetch me." She suddenly understood that Vlad didn't want to be recognised by any slayers who didn't know who he was. He'd changed since the photographs of him were taken years ago and the slayers hadn't managed to get one of him recently. Erin didn't know who he was until Ingrid had told her.

She leaned onto her left crutch and with her right arm she rubbed her bicep trying to get some warmth back into her frozen body.

"We've got other clothing traditions as well. Stupid ones." He muttered, it was almost as bad as the way noble breathers had used to dress for dinner with their families.

"I think you're right." Erin grudgingly admitted as she shivered in the cold night air. The cold made her leg hurt even more, it felt like cold blades of ice cutting into exactly where her bone was broken. At least she knew where it was broken.

"What about?" He asked before unclasping his plain cloak and slipping it around her shoulders. The cloak hem grazed the floor. Erin immediately felt warmer wrapped up in the cloak. She gripped the edges firmly wrapping it tighter around her.

He stood before her in his leathers; she'd never seen this set before although it looked like he was wearing dark black jeans instead of leather trousers. He unzipped his jacket a fraction to allow his arms to move around more comfortably in its tight confines. "Jonno meant next week."

"We weren't sure." Vlad answered, in the long run it was better that they were there now and found out in person rather than not bothering to turn up only to find that it was the date Jonno was supposed to arrive.

Erin gave him a nervous look, if Jonno wasn't coming then she needed to speak to him about something else. "I need to tell you something Vlad."

Her tone immediately had him worried; he grabbed her arms gently holding her to him. "What is it?"

Erin cupped his jaw, "I can't come with you to Transylvania."

Vlad blinked slowly, he didn't understand why she was changing her mind. "I don't understand… Is it because life is different if it is I promise…"

She shook her head, "It's not that." It wasn't for the reasons he thought it was.

His voice weakened as he spoke his next words. "Do you hate me? Because that I'd understand…"

"I love you that is why I have to do this. I have to let you go on your own to Transylvania." It was tearing her up inside but it was the best thing for both of them – especially now.

"I'm not letting you walk away." He told her cupping her cheek, "You can't say you love me then just give up on us."

Her voice dropped to the ground, he strained to hear her. "You'll hate me if you knew why."

Vlad gave her a soft smile, "I can't hate you." Erin shook her head, "Erin it can't be that bad, I love you. All of me there's no line between us when it comes to you."

"There will be and I can't bear that. It's better this way. Please just trust me." She was thinking about his future and what was best for him. This would destroy him.

"Only if you trust me to tell me what's wrong." He wasn't going to back down. "Tell me why you want to throw our future away." His voice was so soft and understanding, it made her heart clench.

Erin felt tears pricking at her eyes, she couldn't look at him. Vlad noticed and gently cupped her cheeks in his fingers and drew her towards him. She nearly lost it then and there; he had no right to be understanding with what she had to tell him.

She couldn't turn away from him; she'd have to watch his every emotion as the gravity of her next words sank in. She didn't want to face his anger at what she had to say, she feared what he'd assume when the words left her lips. Erin could never do that to him, she loved him too much. She couldn't understand it herself.

She took a shaky breath before swallowing her courage and speaking slowly, every word lacing dread further and further into her. "I know it's impossible," She took a breath but Vlad thought she'd finished speaking.

He didn't understand already and couldn't help but interrupt, "What…" Their future wasn't impossible, it was within their reach. The Count had already started to come around to the fact that Vlad held unbreakable feelings for the young former slayer.

Erin shook her head frantically, telling him to let her finish speaking; he closed his mouth and nodded before she lost the courage to finish.

Tears began to slip down her cheeks. "I'm late Vlad."

Over a week late.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_I have plenty of ideas what to do with this storyline but I'll happily go in a direction that people want me to go._

_Thanks for reading._


	51. Tests

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_The third of the four chapters I'm posting tonight._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 51: Test

"I'm late." She whispered. Waiting for him to be angry or annoyed or something... Instead she just received confusion. She could have laughed at the way his face furrowed in complete confusion, he looked even more adorable and naïve.

"What do you mean late? Late for what?"

There just had to be a culture barrier in there somewhere didn't there?

"I mean I haven't had my…" She tried to find a word, ending up with two, but she wanted one he would understand. "Monthly cycle."

He leaned closer to her, he knew it was something private and instinctively came closer to stop others from overhearing. "Your period?" He asked, Erin nodded thankful he understood. "And you think it might mean that you're pregnant?" He didn't patronise her, he could never patronise her and for that Erin was grateful. She nodded, she would never have said she wouldn't come with him if she believed she wasn't.

"My last period was about two weeks before we…" She gestured between them, she never felt comfortable saying the word. It was just over two weeks before their first time give or take a couple of days. "We were together that week, then we didn't…" She gestured again making him smile at her modesty, "The four or five days before my accident." He nodded, "Then I was out of it for six days, I've only been awake for the last five or so days."

He was managing to keep track of it so far. "When should you have had it?" He asked her softly, brushing her hair back.

"When I was attacked. The first three days." She had a light period compared to other women, something she was thankful for when she came to live with them. "And I didn't bleed during that time did I?" She asked him outright. He shook his head, there wasn't the scent of her blood during any of the time she was unconscious. Erin knew she was right, in her drawers there had been the exact number of tampons and towels as there had been at the end of her last period and there was no evidence of blood on any piece of her underwear. "I've never missed one until now."

Vlad cupped her cheek, trying to stop her from panicking, "Erin you can't be pregnant."

"But what if I am?" Her voice was terrified as she tried to think it through. The numbers just didn't add up, every time she calculated it the numbers didn't match it was over five weeks since her last period.

"Erin it's impossible." He couldn't ignore the fear on her face, there was only one way to make her believe him. His face softened, he could see this was worrying her, especially if she was considering not going with him to spare him from the opinions of his kind. "It's probably because you were hurt." She didn't seem that convinced and there was one thing he could do to ease her fears. "Do you want to get it checked?"

She shook her head, there was no way she could get it checked. "We can't go to Renfield…" Renfield would let it slip if she was and she didn't want that.

"The breather way will work." They shared the same hormones as vampires that made the test indicate pregnancy or not.

"Will it?" She asked him, he nodded stepping closer to her. She closed her eyes and smiled in relief.

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Erin had never thought she could be doing this. Children were impossible unless Vlad turned her yet here she was desperate to get a test so she could find out for sure. She was thankful Vlad hadn't laughed it off but had decided to show her that it was impossible. He was probably right it was her accident that had changed things temporarily. This would ease her mind though seeing the negative reading on the pregnancy test.

There were tests on both sides of the aisle in this store; each one was different somehow although she was sure that every single one worked in exactly the same way. She lowered herself down gingerly, taking care not to lose her balance with the crutches. She reached out for one of the tests, intent on looking at the back of it.

"Erin, what are you doing here?" Erin jumped back, forgetting she was on crutches and crashing back into the unit behind knocking some of the things to the floor. Alex McCauley dove to help her, straightening the younger woman back up. Erin nodded to her in thanks. Erin looked upwards seeing Miss McCauley looking at her – she was the last person she'd thought to encounter especially past midnight. She looked at the tests Erin had knocked to the floor, "Are you in trouble?"

"No." Erin answered while doing her best to maintain the head teacher's gaze.

"Then why are you in this aisle?" She couldn't see any reason for Erin to be there. Her gaze lowered to Erin's stomach, the young woman was living with Vlad and his family so she expected there to be something going on between them. "You can talk to me you know, it won't go any further."

While Erin liked the headmistress Alex McCauley often took things for what they weren't. Erin remembered clearly the arguments between Vlad and the Count when she first arrived concerning Vlad 'being bullied'. She wouldn't accept that he wasn't and made assumptions, she didn't want the Count being involved early before it was necessary if she was pregnant.

Erin answered quickly, "Vlad left me here for a few minutes." Erin smiled at her. "He's getting me some painkillers." Vlad had felt uncomfortable with all the glances women were shooting him while he stood next to Erin. He didn't know much about this and eventually Erin had sent him off to fetch something and painkillers were the first things that came into her mind.

Alex McCauley looked at Erin, she looked tired and seemed to be holding as much weight as she could on her crutches. She seemed to understand that Erin possibly couldn't hobble any further and would need to sit down soon.

As if on cue Vlad appeared behind her, "I got you panadol," He looked at the offending breather medicine and Erin laughed it was as if it was garlic from the way he was looking at it. "I think you should be okay with it, vam…"

"Thanks!" Erin cut in quickly before Alex could pick up on Vlad's words. His head snapped up at her quick interruption. She took the box off him, she'd never taken breather medicine before but she didn't want to keep relying on Renfield's concoctions either.

Vlad looked at Miss McCauley, nodding to Erin thanking her for interrupting him before he said something he couldn't back down from. He wasn't sure about the painkillers in his hand, they didn't work for vampires and Erin didn't know what to take so he'd found paracetamol. They were mild strength, if she was okay with them he'd get her some stronger ones. Vlad came to her side smiling at the head teacher, Erin looked relieved he'd come at that point. "Are you sure everything's okay?" She asked looking between them.

Erin nodded feeling more comfortable as Vlad placed his hand on the small of her back. "I'm just sore." She answered.

"If you're sure." She didn't fully believe Erin but there was no reason for her not to doubt her. Pain made people act in different ways and this was probably just Erin's way with coping with it. Erin hadn't lied when she'd said Vlad was getting her painkillers so she supposed that Vlad must have left her there to rest. "I'll see you at school on Monday."

They both forced smiles and nodded. Alex nodded accepting their acknowledgement, she hesitated for a few moments debating whether to pry any more but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

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Erin breathed a sigh of relief as Miss McCauley left them alone. She followed the older woman with her eyes

She leaned over to the middle shelf, snatching one of the tests off it and twirling it in her fingers.

"Is that the one you want?" He asked looking down at the box she held in her hand. It was a plain box, it had hardly any pink on it what so ever unlike so many of the tests next to it. It had the typical picture of a pregnant woman on it and a picture of what the test looked like.

"I think so." She answered,

He gestured with his head towards the tills, "Do you want me to get it?" He was trying to save her any embarrassment buying it. It was a sensible thing to buy but he knew that she would feel embarrassed. She shook her head, "Maybe you should get two, just in case one's wrong." Erin nodded, it was a good idea and she pulled another one from the shelf.

"Will you come with me?" She asked sounding like a child. Vlad was surprised she had to even ask.

He kissed her neck lightly, "You know I will."

They slowly hobbled their way over to the counter, Vlad wished he could carry her but Erin wouldn't let him do that in public. Erin leaned on the counter as Vlad hovered behind her, the cashier – a woman in her early fifties – gave Vlad a harsh look as she looked at the two tests that she scanned. She deliberately took her time to see how much the couple would squirm.

"I hope you know your options." She muttered under her breath towards Erin, the young slayer's hands shook at what she'd said. Erin knew what choices there were for her out there.

As soon as she could she snatched the bag from the cashier as she paid for the items. She couldn't bear being in that shop a moment longer.

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Erin opened her eyes stepping away from Vlad as she fought to stop her head from spinning from the flight. It never used to affect her like that.

She looked down at the bag she held in her hands. "I don't want to do this near your family." She told him quietly. She didn't want to risk them finding out what she was up to. He nodded, hoisting her into his arms. She let out a squeal at the sudden motion. "Where are we going?" She wrapped her arms around his neck.

He looked down at her, beginning to walk through the corridors. It was easier for him to carry her like this; he knew her leg was hurting her. "The bathroom in the other wing." He knew it was kept clean, it was for any guests that might stay with them.

They seemed to get there quickly, Erin had never been through this part of the school before and she was surprised to see how heavily furnished it was as they rounded the corners. There were tapestries, paintings and a variety of furniture from different eras.

Suddenly they walked through a door to a large bathroom, the floor was marble, black and white. There was a beautiful, large stainless steel, white bath in the corner. It was big enough to hold at least two people. The toilet was ice white and the sink was just as Spartan.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" He asked her softly. Erin shook her head, making love was one thing but taking the test in front of him was something different. He kissed her forehead lightly. "I'll wait outside."

Erin nodded, as he carefully set her down on the floor. She grasped the sink with her left hand to steady herself.

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The waiting was beginning to make him nervous, he moved back and forth. He knew the answer but it didn't make the waiting any easier for him. He looked down at his watch, his keen eyes seeing the display in the dim light. He knocked on the door before pushing it open. He winced, ducking his head down as the change in light make his eyes burn.

Vlad cautiously entered the bathroom, he saw Erin sitting perched on the edge of the bath. She looked up at him, her eyes were unreadable.

He stopped directly in front of her, "So?" Vlad asked her, he needed her to see for herself that it wasn't possible. She reached with a shaky hand for his and laced their fingers.

Vlad followed her actions even more confused.

Everything became crystal clear in a matter of seconds.

As she placed his hand on her stomach.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	52. Impossible

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_The fourth of the four chapters I'm uploading tonight. I so hope this isn't a disappointment._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 52: Impossible

Vlad stumbled backwards, tearing his hand from hers. He twisted around trying to understand what he'd just found out. He glanced towards the tests, thinking that maybe she'd misread it but it was clear for him to see that they were both positive. There couldn't be two mistakes.

Erin felt her shoulders begin to heave. "I knew you'd hate me." She whispered. Vlad let out a sigh and rushed towards her, bringing her into his arms. He twisted himself so he sat next to her, making sure she didn't put any extra pressure on her leg. She fought at first but eventually relaxed seeing Vlad wasn't going to let go.

"I don't hate you." He whispered, "I can't hate you." He could never hate her.

She half collapsed sobbing in defeat in his arms. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." She repeated over and over into his chest. He rested his chin on her hair rocking her gently.

He couldn't get his head around it. It was impossible; no human could carry a vampire's child. There had been genuine attempts, trials and experiments but they just weren't compatible. Erin hadn't been with anyone else, he knew that without a doubt she would never cheat on him.

Vlad gently pushed her back but Erin wouldn't look at him. He brought her face up to his. "Look at me." He spoke softly, she still didn't look, "Look at me." He commanded, his tone immediately drew her eyes to his. They were filled with so many apologies. He tried to speak but she got there first.

"This is all my fault." She whispered,

Vlad was surprised, he couldn't understand her words. "Why is it your fault?"

Erin looked downwards, "I should have been more careful."

"Erin we had no reason to be careful." Vlad ran his hands through his hair, "It should be impossible."

"I know."

"Then how?" He yelled angrily more at himself than anyone else.

Erin jumped, "I swear Vlad, I've never been with anyone else."

He looked at her, surprised that she felt she the need to justify herself to him. "I know." He pulled her to him once more and she rested her chin on his shoulder. He felt her take a shaky breath. "I wasn't blaming you." He wrapped his arms around her tighter. "I was just trying to figure out why it happened."

"I shouldn't have told you. I should have just let you go back without me." She whispered.

"I have a right to know." He shouted angrily. "And I wanted to know." He couldn't believe she'd consider keeping it a secret from him.

"I've just ruined your unlife Vlad!" She yelled at him.

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Vlad blinked, she seemed so sure in her words. She looked away her hand coming to rest on her stomach. He looked at her in complete shock, "Is that what you really think?"

Erin nodded, she'd destroyed his future. He would be scorned and ridiculed especially someone of his future position. "I can't even do this right. I can't stick to impossible." She whispered.

"You haven't ruined anything." He promised her, this wasn't done intentionally. Things would be different but he didn't think they would be 'ruined'.

"How can you say that Vlad?" She spoke angrily, "I'm pregnant with your child. Your reputation…"

He kissed her quickly stopping her, "Has been ruined for years." He finished with a smile, he was sure his reputation could take another beating. He was already a disgrace in his world but he would be in control. No one would dare say anything against her in his presence. "I don't drink blood, I like breathers, I want peace, I'm not evil and I love a slayer. I don't think much else will shock them."

"You're not of age and you're going to be the Grand High Vampire…"

His answer was simple as he shrugged, his rule wasn't as important as her. "Then I go into my rule with a child on the way," He stroked her jaw, "Erin you won't be blamed I will." He assured her. Erin couldn't bear the thought of him being blamed. She shook her head, opening her mouth to speak but he pressed a finger to her lips to explain. "By my culture you're of age, I'm not. It will be my fault because I should have known better and held more respect for you for what could happen. I only care that you won't be blamed." It was one of those times that the lack of women's rights would work for them; Erin wouldn't have had the power to say no if he sighted their customs when asked.

Erin brushed her fingers over his lips, caressing them lightly. "I'm not having you blamed for this Vlad."

Vlad just wanted her safe, "I don't care about blame. I care about you." A thought crossed his mind, "Were you thinking about getting rid of it?" He asked, half in fear of her answer.

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Erin blinked slowly, unable to believe he'd just asked that. He seemed to be waiting for an answer, she clenched her fists resisting hitting him for even suggesting that she was thinking that.

"It's part of you!" She immediately spoke, not hiding the outrage at his question. "I couldn't get rid of half of you and I can't get rid of this baby. I never even thought about it." It had never crossed her mind, she was more concerned about his place in his world. Her voice lowered, "Do you want me to?" Fear was in her eyes, she didn't want to lose this baby. She'd only known for certain for fifteen minutes at most but she wasn't going to lose what could be her last link to him if his kind got their way.

"No!" He answered immediately, "I would never make you do something like that. I know I don't want to lose you either." Her eyes flickered up to his; Vlad knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in his and kissing the backs of them lightly. "Erin I still want you to come with me. I love you. I want to be with you and if there's a baby then we'll manage. It'll be hard at first but we can do this."

"You know they won't let me stay..." She whispered shaking her head. "Your dad will kill me for this happening."

Vlad reached up and brushed her hair behind her ear, letting his fingers travel down to her neck and linger there for a few moments. "I can handle Dad, he'll go bats but he'll have to come around to it." Vlad told her. He could handle his father, he didn't care about him handing Erin over to the slayers now he had a bargaining chip of his own. If the slayers, garlic forbid, got their hands on Erin and the baby Vlad's DNA and the future of their kind would be at risk. Vlad didn't want to play that card but he would if it meant keeping Erin with him.

"I can't hide it Vlad, they'll notice eventually and it'll happen before your birthday. You know they won't let me stay." She knew they'd want her to leave, she knew they wouldn't even accept Vlad being the father of the baby. She couldn't blame them it was supposed to be impossible.

He leaned up and pressed his forehead against hers, "There's no way they're taking you from me. Especially not now." He would be there for his child. "We're young but we can do this."

She was quaking inside with terror, "It's a baby Vlad!" Erin hissed, "I don't know anything about babies." She didn't have parents, she'd only been bounced around the Guild foster homes with Ryan. She didn't even know what having a mother was like. She didn't know how to be one.

He placed a hand on her stomach. "I don't either." He lifted up her shirt; his cool hands making her shiver and instinctively pull back. He bit back a smile at her reaction and rubbed his hands together in an attempt to try and make them feel warmer. He felt her stomach; it was a little firmer but only because his attention was drawn to it. Erin closed her eyes at his tender touch; he seemed genuinely amazed as his hands explored her midsection. "I've only ever held Wolfie when he was born." He added a minute or so onwards. "About five weeks then."

"Hmm?" She asked, not understanding him, she was distracted by the sensation of him exploring her stomach.

"You're about five weeks then." He repeated, "Isn't breather pregnancy calculated from your last period?" He remembered listening to that in biology when he was studying his GCSEs. Erin nodded, she couldn't believe he knew that when he could be naïve on other things concerning her physiology.

"What about your future?" Erin asked him quietly. She wanted to know how this would affect him as Grand High Vampire.

He looked her in the eyes, "Do you love me?" He asked, "Me as this Vlad, the mixture?"

Erin scoffed, hardly believing he could ask. "I loved you both when you were separate, I love you more together." God that sounded cheesy, it didn't sound as bad in her head.

"Then I have a future with you and the baby." Erin felt her eyes water at his words, "You can still have one too."

"How?" The only qualification she had was being a slayer.

"In Transylvania you don't need qualifications for a profession; you just have to prove you can do it. You can do anything you want or…" He trailed off,

Erin looked at him, "Or?"

He looked adorably shy, "You can help me." He didn't want to mention being Queen, it was far too soon and that would involve an official union although the child growing inside her bound them together in one way. She could become an advisor to him if she wanted to.

Erin stroked his jaw, it was something she wasn't sure how she felt about, and she didn't want to talk about it now. "It's still two months away." That reminded her of something, something inevitable. "We won't be able to hide it forever Vlad." The fear of what would happen when it began to show was starting to overwhelm her. She'd grow bigger and it wasn't something that could be hidden with baggy clothes.

"I don't want you to hide it." He answered, stroking her cheek, "I have another reason to fight for us, that baby will be my heir – no other child can be." The power the child would wield wouldn't be matched by any other later children. "They know I will protect you and I'll do anything to make sure you're safe."

Erin clutched at his hand, her nails dug into his skin and she was thankful that he was a vampire because her grip was tight enough to draw blood. "I'm scared Vlad. So fogging scared."

He was terrified to but he wasn't going to tell her. He knew his family and his kind wouldn't take it well. His father would be disappointed with him but then again he always disappointed with his son. He didn't know what repercussions there would be for either of them.

"I'm not leaving you, I'm being here with you every step of the way." He wouldn't leave her they were in this together. "The first thing we need to do is to find out how this happened." He kissed her lightly, "And I think the best way to do that is find what the slayers did to you." Erin nodded slowly, he was right. "I think what they did to you made this possible." He was terrified of what else they might have done to her and what repercussions it could have for her.

Jonno and Mina hadn't been able to dig deeper. They might know something but she didn't hold out much hope, they had said they needed to tell them something but she wasn't sure she could wait that long and it would be better to find out their own information rather than relying on the slayers'.

"How?" She asked.

Vlad smirked. "The old fashioned way."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_I think I know where I'm headed with this idea. It's the final piece of my little puzzle. I just have to pull everything together now._

_Thanks for reading._


	53. Okay

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_My reason for not posting is in the next chapter, I wanted to get this one finished quickly._

_I hope these aren't a disappointment._

Chapter 53: Okay

Erin pulled back from him completely, she looked up at him. "What's the old fashioned way?"

Vlad smiled at her, "The way vampire's find our information – we look through the archives." He stroked her cheek lightly, "We don't rely on Jonno and Mina."

"They'd know more…"

"Erin we don't know whether they'd find anything, your files might be sealed or destroyed when Jonno and Mina took charge." He wasn't saying that they wouldn't find anything he was saying that they shouldn't rely on the slayers for everything.

Erin nodded, Vlad was right they couldn't hope that Mina and Jonno would find the answer. "I just want some answers."

"Me too." He wanted to know how a breather could carry a vampire's child. He wanted to know whether this would affect her and cause her problems and he wanted to know what it meant for them. If Erin ever wanted to become one of them would it kill her or the vampire who bit her? Ingrid had been extremely ill after biting Ryan and he – he was the only one he would allow to bite her – would most likely suffer the same fate. "What's wrong?" Vlad asked quietly, seeing the way Erin shivered in the cool air, she hadn't acted that way for a long time. He reached a hand out to her forehead and brushed his fingers across it lightly. She felt fine, she didn't have a temperature.

Erin smiled up at him, pulling away. "I just feel cold." He nodded, kissing her forehead lightly. She shuffled into his embrace, a limp clear in her step. He looked downwards at the discarded crutches on the floor.

He gave her a reproaching look, "You should be using crutches." He muttered as he wrapped his arms around her tightly, doing his best to support her weight, placing his chin on her hair.

"I'll be fine." She answered, she hated those things – she hated the blisters she had on her hands from using them. Anyway her leg wasn't hurting anywhere near as much as it was when she'd first woken.

"Are you okay?" He whispered into her ear. He felt her nod and closed his eyes enjoying holding her.

"You're going to worry more aren't you?" She teased, not bothering to move but repositioning her head to make herself more comfortable and closing her eyes as she took a deep breath, inhaling his scent.

He glanced down at her out of the corners of his eye, a small smile on his face. "I can't help it." It was partly paternal with the new discovery of life inside her but he'd always worried about her.

"I know."

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"Erin?" He asked her softly, making sure he didn't startle her. She pulled back and looked up at him, "Are you okay with this?" He placed a hand on her stomach rubbing it lightly. Erin would have pulled back if it was anyone else but she strangely like him doing it.

She thought about his words, she didn't want to be hasty in her answer. She was seventeen, she'd be a mother at eighteen, and they'd both be parents at eighteen. This was the situation nearly every parent hated: their daughter becoming pregnant before she'd even left school. Vlad had told her she could do whatever she wanted in Transylvania and she believed him, he would never let her options be limited. She didn't know anything about parents, the longest she'd ever been near a parent like figure was Vlad's father and he wasn't the best role model but she knew he loved his children – both of them – even if he didn't show it. She would be going into this knowing practically nothing but Vlad had said he'd be there for her and that's what mattered.

"I think so." She answered, placing her hand over his. "I'm still scared and I don't know what to do but I think it'll be okay."

"I'll be with you the whole time." He promised her again, he leaned down and kissed her sweetly. "I'm sorry I didn't know that…"

Erin placed a finger against his lips, he didn't have anything to apologise for. "It's okay." Erin told him softly, "At least we know now it can happen without me being bitten."

Vlad winced as he thought his next comment over in his head before speaking quietly, she needed to be prepared should anything happen. "You might not be able to carry to term." He stroked her cheek, it was a real possibility. They weren't compatible for a reason.

Erin's heart skipped a beat and she froze completely, "Are you saying that I could lose the baby?" She didn't want to risk losing something that was part of Vlad. She wrapped her arms around her waist holding her stomach tightly.

Vlad closed his eyes, "I don't know." That was the problem with it never happening before – there was nothing to compare it against.

Erin took a deep breath; she needed to think things through more. She needed to remember the baby before acting on anything. "I need to be careful then, just in case I might..."

"Miscarry." He finished and she nodded. He tried to ignore the sensation that that single word brought on him – the sensation of his stomach twisting painfully at the mere thought of it happening. He never wanted her to go through that, he wasn't sure he could.

He noticed the way her head dropped to look at her stomach, "Maybe it was why they did this to me." She whispered, "To get what they wanted – a half vampire child – try and breed the blood lust out of you." She didn't like the thought that she was a test subject; it was something she couldn't comprehend. It was cruel and barbaric they were messing with her DNA, her future and the future of Vlad's kind. Nothing could be achieved through genetic manipulation.

Vlad tipped her chin upwards; he needed to look her in the eye to make her understand. "They couldn't have known that you'd choose to live with me." There was no way the Guild could have known she'd ever fall for a vampire. Of course there were other ways that… he shook his head ignoring the thought that came into his head. He wouldn't think of that. She was with him and that's what mattered now.

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Erin realised something, she hadn't asked him for his point of view on her current condition. She'd heard what he'd said but she was terrified that he was only doing this because he was honourable. He was the most honourable vampire and breather out there. "I never asked how you felt about this." Erin whispered, "I don't want you to think you have to be with me because of this… I didn't do this to trap you."

If he wanted to walk away from her completely she wouldn't hold him to it. It was his unlife and he could do what he wanted with it, she didn't expect anything from him. It would hurt but she would accept it.

Vlad shook his head at her words; it was fear and love that was speaking. She loved him enough to let him go if he wanted to walk away. She didn't want herself to be hurt in the long run if he was only being with her because of the baby.

He brought Erin's face in line with his, "You couldn't do a thing like that on purpose." She closed her eyes trying and failing to stop the treacherous tears from leaking from them. He kissed them away, instantly feeling the salty taste on his lips. "I want to be with you because I can't imagine not being with you." He stroked her jaw, "I've never wanted to be with anyone else and it's not going to change because you're pregnant. You're the first girl I've ever been with and I want you to be the last."

His eyes held the intensity he couldn't fit into his words. It felt right being with her, they fit together perfectly and he loved her with his whole heart. A vampire shouldn't love but he did. The fact they'd created the impossible only added to that. Yes it had been an accident but he wouldn't trade that accident for anything.

"You're seventeen…" She began the words he'd spoken affecting her too much. She wanted them to be true with her whole heart but he had centuries ahead of him, she had fifty years if she didn't ask him to transform her.

Vlad shook his head, cutting her off before speaking. "I don't care." He didn't care about their ages. They were old enough to make their own decisions, granted his weren't as legal in his world as hers yet, he knew what he wanted. "I won't lie, the baby changes things and it will always change things but I don't care. It's a child with you, a child that shouldn't be possible. I'm not going to lose this chance with you. I told you I'll be there with you ever step of the way and that's not going to change." There was no way he was losing this with her, he'd come far too close when he'd forced her to leave before and when he'd been jealous of himself. He couldn't go through those weeks without her again.

He pressed his forehead to hers, holding it there. He felt her forehead trembling under his and knew her whole body must be quivering. He lowered his lips to hers, capturing them sweetly.

"I go into my rule with you at my side and at least some future in place, I don't want anything else. I can't escape what I'm supposed to become but I can have a life with you and our son or daughter." He saw a question on her lips at the mention of gender, "The Council and Dad will want a boy," He didn't deny that, he'd practically been lectured on the fact his heir should be a boy from the day he'd worn that crown for the very first time. "I just want a healthy child; I don't care about whether it's a boy or a girl."

Erin looked at him with glistening eyes, "It might not be born." She reminded him.

He pulled her hands to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly, "If anything happens," He stopped feeling winded even though he didn't need air. "We'll deal with it together.

She nodded, "Love you." She spoke softly, she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Me too." He answered.

"What are you two talking about?" A voice asked from behind them.

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Erin jumped away from Vlad grimacing as she came down on her foot hard, she turned to see her brother watching them curiously. "We were talking about Mum and Dad." She lied, Vlad watched as her eyes pulled to the side and he wondered if Ryan would notice. Ryan clearly didn't, "I want to know why we were lied to all those years." Erin told Ryan seriously.

"We got away from them Erin. They can't lie to us anymore," Erin let out a scoff, "What?" He narrowed his gaze at his sister.

Vlad knew Erin's hormones would feed off what Ryan was saying but he didn't really want to risk the wrath of the two former slayers. "You always wanted to be a slayer; I don't ever remember you trying to get away from them." Erin snapped at him. She'd tried to run away from them more than once but she'd always been caught before she got very far.

"What choices did we have Erin? We were born to slayers and the Guild looked after us, mum and dad would have wanted us to become slayers…"

Erin shot forward and hit Ryan hard making him blink rapidly in complete confusion as he looked at his sister, Vlad would have sworn she had the speed of a vampire if he didn't know better. "Don't you dare think you know what they would have wanted." She'd only slapped him because she knew it would hurt him more than a punch – it would sting far more. She only hoped he'd feel it as a vampire.

Ryan didn't let her slap stop him though, "You've always had the romantic idea that they'd let you become what you wanted – do you still want to be a princess?" He asked sarcastically. Vlad blinked as he looked down at Erin, she looked up at him seeing that he was trying to picture it in his mind.

"A princess?" Vlad asked, he couldn't imagine Erin ever wanting to be that. It was something that he'd consider too girly for her.

She flushed as she remembered the innocence of childhood, "I was five." She defended herself, her imagination had been her refuge when she was younger. "Didn't you ever want to be anything when you were five?"

"Human." He answered quick as a flash, he didn't even need to consider it. Erin's face softened as she saw the despair in his eyes of something he could never be. She reached up and brushed his cheek lightly. He leaned into her touch, Ryan rolled his eyes he still didn't like his sister being affectionate towards the vampire at least not where he could see it.

He didn't want her reopening old wounds, "They're dead Erin!" Ryan shouted at her, "No matter how much digging you do you'll never change that! They chose to be killed by a vampire after having us. If they loved us they wouldn't have gone after the vampire." There was no other way they could have been killed by a vampire other than going after it to slay it.

"I know!" She yelled back at him. She knew their parents had chosen a vampire over them. "But aren't you curious? Curious to know what they did to us and why?" She growled at him, anger taking over her.

"You didn't care about any of this until you met him."

Erin was shaking once more, but this time with anger towards her brother. "Because I didn't know about it. I want to know why we were experimented on."

"I don't think we were experimented on…"

"My blood is different Ryan." Erin snapped at him, letting him know for the first time. "I can't accept human blood transfusions; something in my blood breaks it down making it useless. They changed me Ryan, they changed me DNA. I don't even know whether I'm human or just a freak. We were born slayers Ryan we weren't any different until the Guild took us on."

Vlad stepped closer and placed a hand on the centre of her back. "Don't stress yourself." Vlad muttered to her and she nodded. She was at the very early stages of her pregnancy she couldn't risk stress getting to her.

Ryan looked between the suspiciously, he didn't understand what they were talking about. Erin was still injured so Vlad was probably talking about that. "Ask Renfield to check our DNA then."

Erin looked to Vlad hope in her eyes, she hadn't considered that. Vlad's eyes blackened visibly, clearly angry at the suggestion. "Renfield's not good with DNA." His words came out clipped and heavily accented. Ryan looked shocked at Vlad's intense hostility at the suggestion. Erin nodded, not understanding his reaction but she was willing to leave it if he reacted this way. "Please Ryan, I can't not know. If I want a future with Vlad I have to know."

Ryan looked at her, "Children?" Erin nodded, trying not to blush or look at her stomach. "You know that you'll have to…" She nodded, pretending that it was what had to happen.

"I need to know if my blood will kill Vlad or if what they did has changed things. Maybe I could carry his children as a breather…" She tested the waters a little,

Ryan's eyes flashed dangerously, immediately fixing on Vlad. "If it happens he'll be nothing but a pile of dust."

"Ryan…" She began, horrified. She knew she'd get this reaction from him but it didn't make it any less painful on her.

"I'm serious Erin. I won't let it happen." She nodded trying not to gulp, Ryan was perfectly serious. She was his little sister (by ten minutes) he wouldn't let her throw her life away.

"I don't care what you think about your parents or yourself." Vlad told him firmly, "I know Erin's been changed somehow, we're asking if you want to help." Vlad spoke, ignoring Ryan's promise of his upcoming fate. "Or don't you care about your sister at all?"

Ryan hissed at Vlad, Erin jumped grabbing her boyfriend's arm instinctively. She growled as her leg throbbed again as gravity took over once more. Ryan's two fangs glistened.

Vlad opened his mouth to reveal his four before hissing back at him. Ryan pulled back quickly; he hadn't expected that at all. Erin knew Vlad was reacting instinctively; he wanted to keep her safe as well as put Ryan in his place.

"What's your answer Ryan?" Vlad asked angrily.

"I'll help."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	54. Getting Answers

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Sorry for not posting. I haven't been well, unfortunately those attacking reviews got to me (unfortunately they're coming in the form of PMs now as the site blocked the reviews) so since last Monday I have been suffering from a constant migraine, unfortunately I suffer from those that mimic strokes in terms of speech, tingling and thinking so I have been in a constant state of confusion until today (not to mention the blindness and nausea)._

_If I stop posting for a day or two the PMs vanish._

_I've never been physically made ill before by PMs or reviews, I just don't know what to do anymore._

Chapter 54: Getting Answers

Ingrid hadn't been able to answer Bertrand when he'd asked the question. Part of her had been unsure how to answer, part of her had played on the doubts and guilt she still held over Will's death and the remaining part of her had been too stunned to answer him.

She had thought Vlad took the pitfalls of relationships seriously but Bertrand seemed to be in a league of his own. With Vlad he always sought Erin out or she went looking for him but Bertrand hadn't bothered. He'd kept his distance from her. Will had always… she shook her head. His memory was causing this.

She'd taken to trying to follow his scent but it wasn't easy. What remained was fading quickly. She sped up her pace, not paying much attention to where she was going.

It was strange to see Bertrand outside, usually he never left the confines of the school but he was standing outside in the fresh air. He'd brought some of his equipment outside and she couldn't help but watch in awe as he practiced.

Her eyes were drawn to the muscles in his back as he moved with the sword. They tensed and relaxed in a mesmerising fashion, her eyes fixed on the way they rippled underneath his vest. A light sheen of sweat coated his arms making them glisten as if they were slick with oil, reflecting the light from the school and the moon. He wasn't as built up as some of the vampires she'd seen, he was sturdy but not overly muscular. She knew her brother would look like that in a hundred years as well – if he kept up what Bertrand had taught him of course.

Every move he made was graceful and deadly in it precision; no one could match him in skill.

Bertrand's voice was as sharp as nails when he eventually acknowledged her presence. "Go away Ingrid."

"You're not a replacement for Will." She told him softly from across the courtyard.

"How do I know you're not lying?" He asked her outright.

"Because I don't lie to you!" She snarled at him.

That was a lie then and there. Bertrand twirled around to face her, he was livid. Rarely had she seen him so angry, in fact she could only remember once when he was prepared to stake her. She knew he'd shown anger towards Vlad more than once but she'd never been on the receiving end of it.

"Really?!" He scoffed angrily. "You lie to everyone Ingrid! You can look anyone in the eye and lie to them!" Ingrid looked down, he was right. She could look her brothers in the eye and lie to them. Erin was the one who could see through her but women could usually tell when other women were lying.

"I don't mean to." She whispered. She lied to protect herself, she'd become far too good at it now and it was hurting them both. She was used to hurting her brother, she used to relish the pain in his eyes every time he finally worked out that his sister was lying to him but she hadn't realised how much it cut him open until now. She finally understood why he'd retaliated when his evil took over. It wasn't something that could easily be forgotten.

He shook his head, he didn't want excuses. "I can't trust you." Now he knew how Vlad felt when dealing with Erin but they'd managed to get over that because they knew they loved each other, he didn't have that. He didn't know if Ingrid loved him or was using him as a replacement. He'd pushed her away for the sake of her future and he wished he'd left her at arm's length.

"You didn't trust me before." She reminded him, that had only changed recently.

"Things are different, I can't be with someone who might stake me in the back." He snapped, he might get his lands of Ramanga, the lands that belonged to his clan anyway but he wasn't holding onto the hope that Ingrid would accept them as a sign that he would be able to support her. He wouldn't waste them on someone who didn't accept him for who he was, only accepting him for who he wasn't.

"Vlad and Erin…" Bertrand shot her a look that made her quieten immediately.

"You know as well as I do that Erin will never hurt Vlad intentionally." He knew he had Ingrid there, Ingrid couldn't dispute that. The young couple were fighting to be together there was no way they'd hurt each other deliberately. Bertrand waited patiently for a counter argument of some kind or even a change of subject from her but none came which surprised him. "I'll finish your brother's training but after that I'm leaving." His voice was so level and sure that Ingrid found herself repeating his words over and over in her head trying to identify the smallest sign of a crack in his voice.

Ingrid looked at him in surprise. "Where will you go?" He couldn't leave, she needed to know where he was going if he was going to.

"I don't know." He answered truthfully. His whole life had been preparing him for finding the Chosen One and opening that useless book. "I'm not staying here to be a replacement for anyone." He deserved better than that, he'd never considered it before but Marcus had gotten him thinking about it. He knew he wasn't an idea candidate

With that he vanished into the remaining night leaving Ingrid standing alone in the courtyard.

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Ingrid was twenty, she was a strong woman and she was a vampire, she wasn't going to let any tears fall. She knew that in her heart, she wouldn't cry over anyone. No man deserved to be cried over. Although as she thought that she couldn't help but feel betrayed as her eyes burned and her vision turned hazy. She hadn't cried since… all she needed to remind herself was that she wasn't going to start now.

She looked up in time to see her brother walking slowly with Erin hobbling beside him. He was scolding her over something, she caught trails of 'you should always use the crutches' followed by 'it was only once Vlad'.

She wiped at her eyes, hoping all of her mascara was completely intact as nothing had escaped her eyes – not that she'd noticed anyway. She straightened her posture trying to look as if nothing had bothered her.

She decided to confront Vlad head on, she didn't want him to notice that her emotions were ruling her at the moment. "When are we going to stage a slaying…"

"Later Ingrid." Vlad told his sister as he walked past her.

Ingrid wasn't going to accept that though, "Ramanaga…"

"I said later!" Vlad shouted back at his sister a fierce look in his eyes.

Ingrid sped in front of him, stopping him from going anywhere. Vlad looked to Erin and she gave him a small smile, "Talk to Ingrid, you know where I'll be." He didn't feel comfortable leaving her, especially not now.

She gave him a gentle nod, nothing would happen to her. She'd be safe in his room, the couch was the most comfortable thing for her leg at the moment and he knew that. She squeezed his hand before moving past Ingrid quietly leaving the siblings to argue in peace.

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Ingrid looked at her brother; she wasn't used to him having a backbone. It would take some getting used to, it was something that wouldn't happen overnight.

Vlad glared at his sister, "I don't have time for this Ingrid."

He was going to listen, her future both alive and personal depended on this, "Ramanga wants results and he's not going to wait for much longer…"

He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself, "Ingrid I can't always sort out your messes straight away." Erin and the life inside her now were his main priorities.

Ingrid decided to beg, she never begged so he knew the importance of what she was asking. "Please Vlad, I need to do this. I can't delay for much longer." She wanted it over so she could have time to knock sense into a certain four hundred year old vampire.

His voice softened, she was right. "I know." He ran a hand across his face, "Look I have to find out what they did to Erin before I can do anything else."

He needed to find out whether Erin could still lose the baby; he didn't want to chance it. He didn't want to have to involve Renfield unless he had to. He didn't want her or it to be hurt. He felt excitement bubbling inside him as he thought of the life he'd helped to create; they couldn't hide it for long that's why he had to deal with this first. Morning sickness was a ticking clock, they'd surely notice her being sick regularly, and he knew it would be happening soon.

"Your slayer, I should have known." Ingrid's tone was bitter, of course he would place Erin above her. Bertrand was right she'd lied to them too often for him to put her at the top of his concern list.

Vlad fought not to react to that comment, "There are things you don't understand." His being a father was one of them.

Ingrid folded her arms over her chest, "What's that supposed to mean?" Her eyes narrowed as she stared at her brother.

Vlad shook his head before answering, "Nothing." He kept his gaze on her, he didn't want her to suspect anything – neither he nor Erin could take that risk just yet. He let out a sigh, he might as well tell her something otherwise she'd keep pushing and pushing and knowing his sister she'd stumble on the one thing he was willing to protect with his unlife to keep hidden. "I'm trying to find out what happened to Erin's parents, find out if they knew anything about this."

"They're dead." Ingrid told him, shrugging.

"I know that Ingrid." He did remember that quite clearly, he felt guilty for thinking that if they weren't he and Erin would never have met. "I'm trying to get some answers to this without involving Renfield. You know how accurate he is with DNA." His tongue was sharp then and it actually made her take a step backwards.

Ingrid shook her head, "I thought it'd be obvious where to get some answers."

Vlad rolled his tongue in his mouth, trying not to lash out. "I can't go to the Guild Ingrid!"

"I'm not talking about the Guild." Did he really think she was that stupid? She knew he could never go to the Guild.

As far as Vlad knew there was nowhere else. "Then where?"

Ingrid smirked if Vlad didn't know then neither Erin nor Ryan did either, Erin would have told him if she knew. Although there was something he had to get that would lead him to the answers he needed.

Although getting it would be the interesting part.

And she would thoroughly enjoy watching her little brother getting it.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Sorry again for not posting. As I said I don't know what to do anymore._

_Thanks for reading._


	55. Breaking and Entering

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_To everyone who sent me PMs over the last week, I'm slowly getting through them. If I haven't replied I will have done by the end of the week. It's taking a while to go through those disgusting PMs and delete them at the moment._

_Thank you for your support through this difficult time. I honestly thought I'd left it behind on my last fic – clearly I hadn't. I know who's behind it and if it continues I can actually involve the authorities._

_I've suffered from migraines since I was thirteen, lights, wi-fi, stress, chocolate (unless it's a kinder egg, I hate the stuff – always have) and flickering monitors trigger mine (super in my job). It's not something anyone ever wants to experience and I'd never force on anyone._

Chapter 55: Breaking and Entering

Vlad stared at his sister but he should have known she'd never offer up the information readily she wanted to be invited to. Thankfully the days of bribing her to tell him were over. "What do you know Ingrid?" Vlad asked his sister firmly. If she was holding something back and continued to do so she wouldn't like the consequences.

Ingrid knew better than to gloat, her unlife depended on not upsetting her brother and from the look in his eyes the sooner she told him the safer she'd be.

"Have you looked at Erin's school records?" Ingrid leaned against the wall. Ingrid was treating it as if it was something Vlad should have known and done.

Vlad's brow furrowed in complete confusion. "What records?"

How thick was her younger brother? "The ones Miss McCauley keeps in her office, Erin's address is on there." She'd love to see Vlad breaking into Miss McCauley's office.

Vlad shook his head Ingrid was wasting his time, "Erin lives here."

"Her former address should be on there. Erin has a home Vlad." She'd seen it herself when she was bored awaiting a long lecture from the head teacher on her conduct around the school, but she genuinely couldn't remember what it was as there hadn't been any point in remembering at the time, "Miss McCauley would have had to have it to try and find out what Erin's former grades were." It was common policy among breather schools, communicating to try and find out a pupil's former school history – with Erin's dyslexia as well it would have been useful to see what initiatives had been in place before.

Vlad still couldn't see what use it was, "Erin used to be part of the Guild…"

Ingrid shook her head, "Dad must have put something down for Erin to start attending school, you know Miss McCauley would have checked it out." He wouldn't have known she was part of the Guild, Erin didn't even know where the HQ was, she'd been trained somewhere else in the country and there was only one training academy in England. All vampires knew that address.

"How Ingrid?" Erin's 'address' couldn't have been pulled out of thin air.

"You'd better ask him."

Vlad nodded mutely, before turning and walking blindly towards his room to find his girlfriend and share what he'd just learned with her.

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Erin felt the couch next to her dip and she tipped backwards as her weight was forced to move, something cool settled next to her. Erin felt Vlad slip his arms around her waist, a smile crossing her face as she leaned back into him. She was surprised when he didn't say anything to her; she turned slowly to face him, curiosity on her face.

She saw the grim expression on his face, concern immediately filled her as she twisted to face him.

"What is it?" She asked him quietly,

He looked away, unsure how to tell her before looking into her eyes. He leaned down and kissed her neck lightly, drawing strength from that, "Did you know you have a home?"

Erin blinked trying to process his words, "I have a home?"

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Erin twisted out of his embrace looking at the young vampire. Shock was written all across her face. "I have a home?" She repeated.

"According to Ingrid Dad put an address on your school records when you enrolled."

"And you trust her?" Erin asked him, her eyebrows raised sceptically, she never thought he'd put much stock in what his sister was telling him.

He gave a small shrug, "She's got no reason to lie."

"Your Dad could have pulled an address from anywhere."

"But Miss McCauley would have checked it out." Ingrid was right their head teacher was thorough. He was actually surprised that it had escaped her attention that they were vampires.

"So your Dad must have gotten it from somewhere." Erin wasn't sure how she felt at that. If she had a home she didn't know what she'd do with it. "If I have a home they kept it from us." She breathed, "We had a right to know." Her voice grew angrier; they had no right to keep what was theirs from them.

"Calm down." He whispered.

"I am calm." She told him through clenched teeth. Vlad shook his head, telling her to calm would only get her worked up.

"There's only one way we can find out for sure – we ask Dad."

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From the determined way his son had asked the question and the way he was standing with his arms folded over his chest the Count knew better than to deny Vlad the answer to the question he'd asked. Erin's address, where had he gotten it from?

The Count was surprised that Erin seemed not to know about her home, she was genuinely surprised and astounded when Vlad had helped her into the room. She hadn't looked too happy on the crutches but Vlad had clearly forced her to use them.

"Renfield used that computer thing of Ingrid's to find an address for your slayer." The Count told Vlad dismissively.

His gaze fixed on Erin as he scrutinised her, he hadn't done that for a while. Erin felt the urge to wrap her arms across her stomach protectively. She felt as if he already knew but she knew he wouldn't think it. Vlad shifted subconsciously as Erin did that, stepping do his body shielded hers. The Count noticed his son's defensive actions.

"Vladimir a word." He looked at Erin deliberately, "In private." The Count told his son, Erin looked to Vlad in concern but he nodded telling her it was okay. She quietly slipped from the room leaving Vlad and his father alone.

Vlad looked up at him, panic filling him. "I haven't done anything so don't even think about sending her…"

The Count raised his hand stopping his son from speaking. Vlad looked at him slightly nervously, "I'm going to ask you something Vladimir and I want you to think very carefully before you answer me." Vlad was now officially worried, he looked at his father. He had nothing to be ashamed of and he couldn't feel ashamed even if he wanted to. "How far is your relationship with Erin?" Vlad very nearly choked at that comment.

"What?" He asked instinctively, his eyes bulging at being asked such a personal question. He couldn't tell the Count about their unborn child yet, Vlad hadn't fully gotten his head around it himself. He didn't want to lose it though, he wanted that child. He'd barely known about it for twenty four hours but he knew he didn't want to lose it.

"Marcus said she smelled like you, I want an answer Vladimir." It had taken him a while to get around to asking him about it. Vlad had actually hoped he'd brushed it under the carpet as a slip. He should have known his father would have filed it away in his mind.

Vlad was glad that he was sharing with his evil, letting it come forth as he spoke as it enabled his voice to remain level. "She's my girlfriend; she's bound to smell like me. She spends more time with me than any of you. If you remember he said Erin smelled like all of us."

The Count tried to see if his son was lying but Vlad was wearing a mask. Only one person could see through that mask and they were talking about her. "So you haven't…" The Count waved his hands randomly in the air trying to express physically what he couldn't speak.

Vlad let out a low growl; he was tired of this, "Would it matter if we had?" He was testing the waters by asking that question, just as Erin had with Ryan.

The Count took a moment to process what his son had said; Vlad looked perfectly serious as he'd spoken. "I hope you're joking Vladimir." Vlad tipped his head; usually he'd be terrified of his father's reaction but for some reason the knowledge of what he'd helped create was spurring him on. "Erin's above the age of consent but you're not!" He roared looking at Vlad. Vlad didn't flinch which unnerved him.

Vlad lowered his head so he looked through the lids of his eyes, "It wouldn't be Erin's fault…"

"OF COURSE IT WOULDN'T BE ERIN'S FAULT IT WOULD BE YOURS!" The Count roared at his son, he wouldn't blame Erin. Erin was too weak in his mind to corrupt his son, all women were too weak. Anyway Erin didn't seem like the type of girl to make the first move in a physical way. The Count lowered his voice as the first thunder clap was heart, "Have you had sex with her?" He spat out the key word as if it were garlic. Vlad had never thought he'd hear those words from his father's lips but he knew the Count wasn't going to let him beat around the bush any longer.

Vlad looked at the Count, directly in the eye and without blinking he answered. "No." The Count narrowed his eyes, bending down to be level with his son, he held Vlad's gaze as he tried to see into his soul and see if his son was lying at all. "She's coming with me." He added, he hadn't told the Count of Erin's decision yet and now seemed the perfect time. "You made a promise Dad." Vlad reminded him, "Erin's said yes."

The Count nodded stiffly, he knew the girl would say yes. She didn't have anything left for her in this country and he knew she wouldn't want to part from his son.

The Count spun; satisfied with the answer his son had given him. Vlad took that a dismissal and not wanting to spend another minute in the room he strode out from it.

As soon as Vlad was out of the door he relaxed leaning against the wall. He shook his head feeling his courage deflate. He hated lying but it was all he could do to protect Erin until he came of age. Once he was crowned Erin's condition could be known.

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Vlad poked his head comically around the corner of the corridor to Miss McCauley's office. Erin rolled her eyes and hobbled past him, accidentally catching his shoulder and nearly forcing herself flat on her fac. He wrapped an arm around her waist to stop her. He absentmindedly rubbed her stomach with his thumbs, Erin hoped it wasn't a habit that he'd developed otherwise everyone would figure out their news sooner than they intended them too.

"You'll have to distract her." Vlad whispered to Erin

Erin really didn't like this plan with every second that passed, there seemed to be something constantly wrong with it. Or perhaps it was just her imagination. She liked the original plan which had been to look on the internet like the Count had but there were no traces of their names as he'd claimed. However that was no proof, the slayers could have removed all traces of hers and Ryan's names from the internet after they'd tried to take her from the hospital. "Why me?"

Vlad folded his arms and said one word: "Sunlight." He couldn't go outside and physically stop her and he wouldn't be able to escape through the window before the door opened. He needed Erin to distract her so he could get out if she came towards him.

He clicked his fingers as he grasped the handle, he knew she wasn't in her office – usually she had a staff meeting at this time so he knew they had half an hour at least but they still couldn't chance her coming back. He turned the handle but it wouldn't budge.

This was going against his beliefs breaking and entering which that was probably why he couldn't enter using his powers – he didn't want them to work. Erin looked to him in confusion. He looked down at her with a sigh before lowering himself down to the lock. He'd have to do this the breather way.

He was surprised Ingrid didn't have a front row seat to watch her brother break into their head teacher's office but he knew she must be watching from somewhere. It was too good an opportunity for her to miss. Ingrid had a twisted sense of humour, she'd enjoy watching him break into the office it was just the knowledge that he was far to 'angelic' to ever commit a crime. He didn't see what was so fascinating by it.

He inserted the lock picks into the lock; he'd taken to carrying them after being kidnapped by slayers

"Hurry up." Erin hissed.

"I'm hurrying." He spat back. While all of the staff were in a meeting, some of the pupils were still around studying in the library.

"Is he in yet?" A new voice asked making Vlad jump and hit his head on the handle. If he was mortal he would have had a lovely black eye. Erin smothered a laugh while their new guest let out a chuckle.

"Fog off Ingrid." He muttered, resuming trying to open it.

"I can do that in less than a minute."

"You try it then." He snapped at her, he could unpick fang cuffs but this lock was completely different.

"And miss you making an idiot of yourself? No chance." She spoke as if the thought horrified her and it probably did, Erin rolled her eyes at the typically Ingrid remark. Vlad glanced at Erin with irritation. She shrugged; she couldn't do anything about his sister. "How does it feel to commit a crime?"

"I'm not committing a crime if we own the school; it's my room as well as hers."

"Actually its Dad's school."

That was one bonus of Transylvania – he'd be able to have his own home away from his family.

A loud click was heard and the door slowly opened. He looked up at her smugly – she hated that expression ever since it had surfaced when he'd faced that mirror.

Erin glanced back and forth, before Ingrid shoved Vlad inside. He skidded along the floor, hitting the desk; she'd never been able to push like that before. He grabbed the ornate desk lamp before it hit the floor and shattered. There couldn't be any traces of them ever being in there. Erin gave Ingrid a dirty look for pushing Vlad like that, she still didn't approve of this but Miss McCauley would never understand why she didn't know about her former address.

She gave him the look which clearly said he'd better hurry up before pulling the door to slowly.

"What are you doing?"

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Erin slammed the door shut with more force than necessary; she knew she must have made Vlad jump inside. She hoped he wasn't listening behind the door and was looking through the files instead.

"Carl." Erin acknowledged with barely restrained venom in her voice.

"Why are you even with him?" The Quester asked, blocking her path.

"Because I love him. I love a vampire – Vladimir Dracula." He looked angry at her admission.

"You never gave anyone else a chance." He snapped at her,

"I met Vlad first," She reminded him, even if she hadn't Carl wasn't her type anyway. He was far too inquisitive about her and jumped to conclusions far too often. "I've never been attracted to you Carl and I will never be." She knew that with every fibre of her being, his true colours would have come out sooner or later and she really didn't like the look of them one bit.

"What makes him better than the rest of us?"

Erin didn't need to think it through. Vlad had his negative qualities, especially one side of him, but he also had his positive qualities. There was one quality she loved above all others. "His humanity."

Carl blinked as he tried to picture a vampire with humanity in them. It was unheard of until Vladimir Dracula but he still wouldn't accept it. Erin deserved more than to be the mate of a vampire; she deserved a life that a mortal could provide her with. He was convinced she didn't understand all of the facts involved in her decision in choosing Vlad.

Erin turned to open the door to Miss McCauley's office when she saw something shoot out to touch her – his hand.

Carl reached out to grab her, but Erin darted out of his way. "Don't touch me." She snarled, "After all the lies you've told everyone about Vlad I don't *ever* want to see you again." She realised she sounded like Vlad saying that and she didn't care one bit.

"You'll see me in class." He reminded her, she wouldn't get rid of him that easily.

Ingrid vanished in that moment and Erin felt alone, she couldn't believe Ingrid would abandon her like that. Soon the reason for her leaving became crystal clear.

"Leave her alone Quester." A voice came from behind him. Erin never thought she'd be so relieved to see Bertrand as she was in that moment. Bertrand's eyes were dark as he looked downwards at the boy harassing Erin.

"You've got nothing to do with this vampire."

"Erin is Vlad's consort, which makes it my responsibility to ensure she gets the respect she deserves." He was stretching the truth a little, Erin could only be Vlad's consort through a legal union ceremony and if she was a vampire but Questers didn't bother with the intricacies of laws, vampire, wolf or otherwise.

Carl rolled his tongue in his mouth clearly wanting to say something but ended up deciding against it completely. Bertrand wasn't going to be messed with. Carl looked back at Erin in a futile attempt that she was going to defend him but she folded her arms over her chest and glared at him. Finally getting the message he walked backwards a few paces before turning on his heel and stalking across the hall.

"Are you okay?" Bertrand asked her softly. Erin nodded, she felt a little shaken but she knew her hormones were affecting her. Vlad would be the first to tell her that. The older vampire seemed to scrutinise her, trying to decide whether or not she was telling the truth.

"Thanks." She gestured in the direction Carl had gone. Erin had never thought that Bertrand would be a knight in shining armour but in that instant he had been.

Bertrand's gaze hardened, "He'll be back." Questers never stopped, he'd clearly taken on a mission to 'save' Erin from Vlad.

"Yeah." She knew that as well. She didn't want anything to do with him anymore but clearly he couldn't be convinced of that.

Bertrand looked behind her; he knew what they were doing. He gently pushed the door open looking inside. Erin let him look. As he brushed past her he froze, their shoulder's knocked and his gaze snapped to her. Erin felt confusion flood her at the way he suddenly seemed to be trying to think something through.

He didn't continue to try to see how Vlad was getting on; instead he pulled back completely and stepped away from her. Erin was concerned now; she'd never seen him act like this before. He was usually so sure in his actions. "Bertrand?" She asked.

The use of his name snapped him from his thoughts, he looked at her, "I need to sort out Vlad's training." He muttered before speeding away leaving her standing there in confusion at his actions.

Within moments of Bertrand leaving, Vlad poked his head back around the door, checking it was all clear, he held out the papers to Erin who snatched them off him and stuffed them into her bag as quickly as she could. "Got them."

As soon as he was free from the door, he was gently pushing her down the corridor even though she was struggling with the crutches.

"Where is it?" She asked him softly, Vlad would have read it before pulling it from the filing cabinet. She wasn't sure she could bring herself to look.

"Ireland."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	56. A Home

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'd like your opinions:_

_If I get permitted (health-wise) to write a sequel someone asked me if I would set it sixteen years on for obvious reasons._

_Would anyone else like me to set it then?_

Chapter 56: A Home

Ryan squeezed his sister's hand, as they gazed up at the large building. The stood inside the iron railings, in the safety of the large overgrown garden that sheltered them from the view of others. Erin wasn't sure she could do this. It felt as if she was intruding. The house was legally hers and Ryan's, why their parents had done that she had no idea – it was as if they knew they were going to die once they were born.

Hers and Ryan's names were Irish, granted hers was a possible Welsh name Vlad should have known that 'Erin' was Welsh for Ireland. It would have given them a starting point but people were more concerned with the meaning of the name rather than the origins of it. They were ten miles from Dublin, and in the countryside. Vlad couldn't understand why Erin and Ryan hadn't been taken to the slayers academy in Ireland instead they'd been taken to the one in England, they hadn't even been taken to the closer Welsh one either.

They'd never considered Ireland and it was the way the slayers had clearly designed it to be.

Vlad gestured for her to enter, it was a large home. Nowhere near as big as the school of course but it was big enough to house a large family. It was a Victorian style building, clearly designed for a large family and for someone who had enough money to support themselves. The Nobles must have had money in their family as there was no way a slayers wage would pay for a building like that. The bricks were blackening with the pollution from the busy city.

The windows were large, decorative borders across the very top of them. The glass and frames were still the original ones to the house and every single curtain was drawn in the house – probably to stop prying eyes from peering inside. There were steps that led into the house – only a few but he knew that they would be challenging for Erin. A large porch covered the ornate stained glass door and worn 'welcome' door mat.

"I don't have a key." Erin whispered. Vlad lifted his hand and clicked his fingers. Instantly the door opened, squeaking on its hinges. It clearly hadn't been opened for years.

Erin made her way with shaky legs and arms, and by extent crutches. Her shoes left marks in the dust. She peered into the house. It was dark, she could smell mould and damp and dust in there. She knew windows would have to be opened. She reached for the light switch in a futile attempt to see if it worked. As she expected nothing happened.

With a trembling breath she stepped into the house. Ryan and Vlad followed her up the steps, hovering just outside. Vlad looked down at the mat then back at Erin, "I think it's inviting you in." She teased lightly. He rolled his eyes still looking unsure. Erin didn't' know what would happen if he wasn't invited into a place she just assumed it would be like a barrier but she didn't want to chance anything. "Come in Vlad." She told him softly.

Ryan stepped over the threshold bracing himself for the physical repellence that vampires received. Vlad had managed but he'd been invited in by Erin. Vlad looked at him in surprise, "You've been here before." Vlad summarised, even though he was now a half fang he had free reign of the places he'd been when he was mortal – unfortunately Vlad didn't have that same luxury.

If Ryan had been here so had Erin, it must have been in those few days when they were born.

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The entire house was a mess, furniture was broken and it had clearly been for the last eighteen years. They'd clearly been attacked in their own home. Vlad gazed around at the thick dust that covered everything; Renfield would be impressed and proud of the cobwebs in this place.

Erin stepped forward, her crutches skidding on hidden shards of broken glass. Ryan caught his sister, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back flush against him. The crutches landed harmlessly on the floor with a loud bang that echoed around the walls that were covered in now peeling wallpaper. Erin shuddered, not at her brother touching her, but at the fact he was touching her stomach. She tried to keep her reaction to a minimum and luckily he didn't notice.

Something caught her eye and she pulled away from him, moving across to the wall. She wiped at something on there, thick dust coating her sleeve as she swiped at it again and again until the picture underneath the glass appeared.

There were a mass of pictures over the wall. Ryan wiped the dust from all the other ones. With each new picture that was revealed a sense of dread grew in her stomach.

There was something missing from all of the pictures but Erin couldn't put her finger on it. Erin had never seen pictures of her parents before, not ones of them happy at least. She'd seen the ones in the slayer files – the emotionless black and white ones. These ones had happiness radiating off them. She felt herself being sucked into them wondering what they were like. Ryan looked just like their father. She didn't really look like either of them in particular but a mixture instead.

Then it dawned on her, her stomach churned with the thought. "There aren't any pictures of mum carrying us."

Ryan and Vlad followed her gaze, she was right. There were no pictures of their mother pregnant with them. Their parents couldn't have lived here when they were expecting them… either that or…

"Did they know what was going to happen to us?" Ryan whispered.

With his words spoken out loud Erin couldn't handle anymore. "I think I'm going to be sick." Erin whispered before darting outside the best she could on the crutches.

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Vlad was barely a footstep behind her as she huddled behind the bush; he winced at the sound of her retching.

"You don't get ill." Ryan muttered, looking at her suspiciously.

"It's probably just being in there." Erin whispered, gulping and closing her eyes trying to mentally push the feeling of sickness back.

Ryan wasn't going to let it drop, "There's nothing in there that…"

Vlad gently rubbed Erin's back, he could see her gulping and was trying to make her feel more relaxed. "Ryan, leave it alone." Erin spoke lowly, swallowing down the bile rising in her throat. She didn't succeed and she quickly doubled over once more. Vlad closed his eyes and flinched at the sound. After a few moments silence reigned over them and Vlad dropped the lightest of kisses to her hair.

Erin wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve, standing up straight and closing her eyes as she felt a wave of dizziness cover her as she stood a fraction too fast. Vlad opened his arms and let her step into his embrace. The coolness of his skin did wonders for the way she was feeling.

"Is it?" Vlad asked her softly. He needed to know if it was morning sickness starting.

"I don't know." She answered, if it was they couldn't risk it being noticed yet. "I think it's just seeing the house and..." She trailed off as he nodded understanding; at least she hoped that was all it was.

Vlad looked at her, he wouldn't push her, "Can you go back in there?"

Erin looked between her boyfriend and her brother before glancing back at the house. It had been empty for nearly eighteen years, the desolateness of it made her panic and she couldn't help that. Anger was coiling inside her of a home that was once filled with happiness being left to ruin and rot. The slayers had no right to keep the fact they had a home from them.

"I think so." She finally spoke, she felt like jelly on the inside. She didn't really want to go back into the home she never knew but she knew she had to. Vlad leaned down and laced their fingers together giving them a squeeze. He would be there with her.

Vlad wouldn't have wanted her to go back in if there was another option but at the moment it was all they had. "Maybe there's something in there that will tell us what happened." Vlad spoke quietly, "And maybe what happened to you."

Erin nodded; she couldn't help the feeling that deep down she'd missed something obvious in there. Something that was gnawing at the back of her mind.

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Ryan was searching upstairs, looking desperately for something that might give them a clue while Erin and Vlad searched downstairs. They were only in their first room when Erin forgot something important.

Erin stepped onto the chair, trying her best to peer into the cupboard. She almost wished Bertrand was here as his height would be really useful about now. She stretched a bit further; the chair wobbled making her grab the cupboard to stop herself from falling. The cupboard rocked shifting some of the contents.

As it rocked something caught her eye in the dim torchlight she was shining in there.

It was clearly something heavy and metallic in the corner of the cupboard, she reached her whole body inside to grab it. The chair beneath her feet began to wobble dangerously; she knew that she could reach whatever it was if she just stretched a little further.

"ERIN!" Vlad shouted as he caught what she was doing out of the corner of his eye.

She ignored him completely, moving onto her toes desperate to reach it. Her balance was off as she tried to not place any weight on her right leg. She lunged for it, the chair tipping completely backwards. The sudden momentum of the falling chair pushed her forwards backing her legs against the bottom cupboard before forcing her backwards at a speed.

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She fell backwards, closing her eyes waiting for the impact to come. She didn't make a sound as she fell but she knew that it would change in a matter of moments.

Suddenly she felt something under her legs and support around her back. Her entire left side was pressed against something cool and solid. Gingerly she cracked one eye open to see the unamused face of Vlad. His jaw was set as he looked at her anger and disappointment in his eyes, immediately she felt guilt at causing him to feel that way.

"You could have been hurt!" He snapped at her, he couldn't believe her foolishness.

"You caught me." She answered softly, looking down at where her side met his chest. He pulled her closer to him but didn't increase his grip; she fought not to close her eyes at his subconscious action. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him to her.

He shook his head, that wasn't enough for him; he needed to stop her from doing it again. "If I wasn't in here…"

Erin ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, twisting it gently in her grasp. "Nothing happened Vlad. I'm fine; it wouldn't have hurt me it would've been only a small drop,"

"Not *this* time." He agreed with an edge to his tone, Erin winced as it cut exactly where it was supposed to. He was annoyed at her nonchalant attitude, she needed to understand what could happen if she fell again, "It could have caused a…" He trailed off as Erin's face suddenly changed as she realised what he was thinking.

"I didn't think… I forgot… I could have lost the baby…" She breathed, with each comment her words became quieter and quieter as she became more horror filled. She looked up at him. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean…"

He cut her off before she could babble any more, he knew he'd overreacted but he had a right to. "Just be careful and think. It'll take some getting used to."

"I will." She promised, in the future she'd make a conscious decision to acknowledge the consequences her actions could have on the foetus inside her. She didn't want to lose the child, not when it could so easily be taken from them with an uncertain future. She didn't want to make that future a possibility, she wanted this child to survive.

He pressed his forehead forwards gently brushing hers and closing his eyes, "All I want is for you to be both safe." She nodded, she knew he was protective and he had every right to be. She was more fragile than usual with the baby inside her. He pulled back and gesture with his head to the cupboard with quick shaky jerks. "What were you doing anyway?"

"I was trying to get something." His eyes narrowed – he knew that. He was surprised she'd seen anything in the dark, her eyes were nowhere near as developed as his. That was obvious from the start. Erin turned to Vlad, showing him what she held in her hand, forgotten around his neck. She held it a fraction too close to his face forcing him to crane his neck backwards to make sure his vision wasn't blurred as he looked at it. "It's your clan badge." She knew it well enough from his cloak and the decoration around their quarters in the school.

It was one similar to the pin he was supposed to wear at official functions and his first day of school; this one was older – a lot older. Either that or it had been well worn, there were dents and scratches in it. Erin blew on it exposing the colours and the gleaming silver as dust blew around them, adding to the dust all around them.

Vlad took it from her twirling it in the fingers of the hand that was still under her legs, "Why is it in there?"

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Would anyone else like me to set the sequel sixteen years on?_

_Thanks for reading._


	57. DNA Test

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Someone managed to hack into my account last week and changed my password. Unfortunately it turns out it's someone I PM often and considered a friend. I can't understand why they did it._

_They managed to change most of my YD stories to Vlad/Chloe (and you know how much I 'love' Chloe), luckily I have them all backed up (I don't delete anything) so I had to re-upload them but they didn't alter every chapter or even large parts of it. I never realised how long it took to read one of my fics let alone all of them! I wasn't going to let it remain under my account longer than it had to._

_The worst part was convincing the site that it was my account someone else was accessing and locking me out of as they'd managed to add their email to my account and delete mine so I couldn't reset the password._

_All this made me even more ill, I've been in and out of hospital as I was struggling to eat and drink thanks to the migraines sickness side effect._

Chapter 57: DNA Test

Vlad gently lowered Erin back to the ground, taking care not to place too much weight on her leg but Erin didn't really seem to be phased as he moved the object around in the limited light.

"How old is it?" Erin asked him softly, maybe it would tell him. He twisted the item over and over in his fingers.

"Old." Vlad answered, "All our clan badges are old, a couple of centuries at least." He answered, watching as her face fell. It wasn't really the giant clue she was expecting. Erin turned away from him not bothering to take the small artefact from him.

Vlad stuffed the badge into his pocket; he gently rested his hands on her biceps, stroking them lightly. Erin was tempted to pull away he could feel it by the way her muscles tensed up within his gentle grasp. "They had it for a reason; they can only come from my family. Protection, marriage, betrothal, family, death. The only way for a slayer to have gotten one is if they slew a Dracula."

Erin's eyes widened in horror, she didn't know what to feel if her parents had slain a member of Vlad's clan. "They killed…"

Vlad knew that her parents hadn't killed his grandfather, besides her parents would have been too young, he'd seen the dates on their gravestone. The only way here parents could have killed the last Dracula was if they were twelve years old. "There's no Draculas they could have killed. The last Dracula slain was my grandfather, thirty years ago and we know who killed him and it wasn't your family." Vlad answered, it was a werewolf that killed his grandfather not a slayer, which was during the last vampire/werewolf conflict.

"How did they get it?"

"They could have stolen it." He suggested but it was too much of a coincidence if they had. "We will find out why they had it." He promised her, he needed to know just as much as she did. He saw her nod and moved forward a fraction to let his arms loop around her waist. Erin leaned back against his chest, closing her eyes and relishing the feeling of him holding her.

"There's nothing here."

"We've only just started looking." He answered.

"There are no pictures of mum carrying me or Ryan Vlad." Erin snapped at him. "There should be at least one somewhere. You've got pictures of your mum carrying you," Granted they were paintings he still had them. "They weren't here while mum was carrying us; they were somewhere else during that time." She half shouted. "They weren't here Vlad, its not going to help us by looking through a place where they weren't."

Vlad had to concede that there was some logic in that tone, at least they knew they had to look somewhere else. They had to tell Ryan, it looked like they would be relying on any information that Jonno was going to give them.

Erin decided to try a tactic one that she knew he'd reacted violently towards just hours before. "There's nothing here Vlad but there's only one thing we can do to get some answers." She pulled away from him to look him in the eyes, considering his reaction earlier he deserved her to be confident when she said it. "We need to get my DNA checked."

Vlad shook his head; they couldn't trust the slayers and that left one option. "No."

"Vlad…" He was being unreasonable; it might be the only way that she would get some answers.

"No." He repeated sharply. This time his eyes blazed black.

Erin would usually drop the conversation when his eyes turned soulless but this wasn't a time when she felt she should. She needed to keep pushing to get to the route of the problem. "Why not?"

"It's got nothing to do with you."

"I think it had Vladimir, I want Renfield to test my DNA but you won't let it I have a right to know why you won't let that happen."

Vlad finally snapped, he stepped back from her his arms flailing in pure hot fury, "Because the last time he checked anyone's DNA I lost my family!"

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Erin blinked slowly, trying to process what he'd said. Vlad didn't seem to be calming, usually after an outburst he showed some signs of calming down. Erin went to touch him but he shrugged off her touch, in the brief seconds of contact she could feel how tensed he was. His eyes weren't black which was something she supposed.

Erin looked down, she knew how this would usually turn out. She knew he needed some space she could see it in his eyes but she couldn't make herself walk away. She was going to wait for him to tell her to get out, like he'd done before.

She was surprised that he didn't say anything else, he just seemed to be staring at her in anger. She wasn't sure which Vlad she was dealing with in that moment, they seemed to both be as angry as each other. She waited patiently for another few seconds before speaking even then she wasn't sure how to respond to what he'd said. "It looks like everything was sorted out though."

His eyes flashed black this time, it was barely a few seconds but she saw it. Vlad didn't even recoil as it happened and she wondered if he even knew they'd turned dark. The instant they cleared though she knew which Vlad she was dealing with- his dark side.

"You know nothing slayer." He spat loudly. Erin did her best not to flinch but she couldn't help the way she pulled back slightly at his moniker for her. From the intensity in his eyes Erin began to fear what might happen.

"You're going to make yourself ill." She reminded him, as if on cue he winced as his head began to burn.

He ignored her words and the burning. "You're not having Renfield do a DNA test." He spat slowly.

Erin folded her arms over her chest, challenging him. "Any you'll hypnotise me?"

He mimicked her posture exactly, "You know I can't."

She closed her eyes, taking a calming breath. "What happened?" Erin asked him quietly.

"Dad wanted to know if Robin was his real son as Ingrid questioned it." Erin knew Ingrid wouldn't question it directly but she couldn't bring herself to ask how she'd done that either.

"How old…"

"TWELVE!" He shouted, before lowering his voice, "I was twelve." He saw her flinch and shook his head in apology. Erin gave him a half smile accepting it. "I don't want to talk about this." He told her trying to end the conversation.

"You trusted me enough to tell me your plan."

"When I thought you were a half fang…"

"You still trusted me then." She repeated firmly, "Trust me enough to tell me what happened, for all of us."

Vlad rolled his eyes shaking his head, he wasn't going to relive it. Erin saw the way his face had set in determination, she folded her arms over her chest challenging him. "Robin turned against me. He wanted to become one of us so much that he took my life from me." He managed to grind out, it was painful telling her, "He used my culture against me."

"You forgave Robin though." She smiled at him.

"I wanted a friend Erin, I don't think forgiving him really crossed my mind." He was being brutally honest, he'd been too quick to accept Robin back as a friend, he hadn't though it through. "I thought I could stay with Chloe but there was no way I could stay there forever, if Ingrid hadn't told the truth…"

Erin saw how his pain was amplified; he was dwelling on what might have happened. "Don't think of 'what if'."

"I've thought of 'what if' Erin, too many times. I would be on the streets and would've been for the last six years. My own father disowned me, he told me to get out of the castle because I wasn't his son because of that fogging DNA test! I wouldn't have faced the mirror to become this monster and if I was on the streets that wouldn't actually be a good thing." On the streets the transformation would stop him feeling the cold, it would also give him some form of protection. She didn't understand what he'd gone through in those twenty four hours. That could have been his life.

Erin's voice softened as she said something positive, "He changed his mind."

Vlad scoffed, his arms flailing wildly, "Only because Ingrid told the truth. I've heard the tape Erin, Robin was 'no improvement on the last son'." He quoted. "Dad was more proud of him than he ever was of me. It's still the same. He's always so disappointed in me."

The words still cut into him just as if he'd heard them for the very first time.

Erin took a chance, she grabbed his face and pulled it to hers kissing him lightly, "Do you remember what I told you just after we met?" She saw the confusion on his face, she didn't expect him to. "I told you that your dad should never have been disappointed in you. You've never disappointed me."

"Even when I threatened to bite you again?"

"Not even then." She smiled at him, "You're the one who should be disappointed, your family betrayed you and they keep doing it."

"Do you know the cruellest thing he said to me?" She shook her head mutely. "If you love a boy like a son he is your son." His voice came out hoarse and in gasps although no tears fell.

Erin couldn't see what was wrong with that, she should've thought it through more carefully. "That isn't so bad…"

"Then he said he could only love Robin because he was his true son and heir. You hear Ingrid go on about how Dad doesn't love her but I know he doesn't love me." Vlad knew his father didn't love him, he loved his status, his power and the fact he was male. Wolfie was quickly replacing him in his father's eyes, he was everything Vlad wasn't – namely eager to be a vampire.

"I love you." Erin told him, she wished in that moment she could share with him everything she felt. An idea came to her and she took her hand in his and placed it on her stomach. A faint smile appeared on her lips as his fingers curled to gently cup against her stomach and trace patterns there. "We are a family now Vlad and to me that's more important that what your father thinks. You have power Vlad," She placed her free hand to his lips, she knew he was about to protest that it wasn't what he wanted, "Whether you like it or not." She continued, "Your father is jealous of that."

"I promised to give him half of my power to keep you safe." He reminded her. He didn't have the power she thought he had anymore.

Erin closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she hated that fact his father had forced him to do that. "We will undo it." She promised him, there was no way she would let Vlad keep the bargain. He should never have agreed to it in the first place. "But I want you to realise that it might be the only way." Renfield could analyse her DNA in a way that no one else but the slayers could. It might come down to that.

Vlad knew that her pregnancy would show up in her tests as Renfield would also insist on taking a sample of her blood to see why it was fighting the transfusions. That's what was terrifying him. "I'm not having it 'proved' that you're not carrying my child." Vlad told her softly. He knew she was carrying his child, he didn't doubt that but if Renfield or the others even suspected she was pregnant he knew that they would try and alter the results to make Erin into a liar and get rid of her, he wouldn't take that risk.

"You'll be there with me. At the worst you can mind wipe Renfield." She reminded him quietly, she didn't like the idea but it was an option if they needed it, Renfield couldn't keep a secret to save his life. She knew Vlad wouldn't condone it on any other occasion but she wanted him to remember what power he held.

He nodded slowly, she did have a point. He told her he would protect her at any cost.

Before Erin could speak once more, another voice cut in, drawing them back a few lines in their conversation. "You're pregnant?!"

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._

_I did at one point begin writing a AU fic based on Vlad's life if the outcome was different in Slaytime TV but I found that I kept getting sucked into the story and getting too emotional so its shelved. I've been writing it for two years (updated when the characters changed of course) I do keep coming back to it but there's something about it that makes me unable to type it because I get too involved with it. I get involved with most of my stories as I try to picture everything in them but that one really bothers me._


	58. Safe

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Due to how ill I've been and everything that's happened with someone hacking into my account, at the moment the sequel might be different to what you expect if it doesn't end up being shelved. I'm trying to be positive so I'm thinking about the sequel but I thought I should warn you._

_At the moment a few people are asking for it to be set sixteen years on, with their child facing its transformation. I have a few plots for that that can tie in nicely with this one. Still unsure as to what people want._

_But I need to sort out one thing…_

_A boy or a girl? (Although nothing is definite yet)_

Chapter 58: Safe

She forgot Ryan was with them.

Erin looked at Vlad; she hadn't realised that her brother was behind him. She closed her eyes and cringed.

"YOU'RE PREGNANT?!" His voice was more forceful this time as he asked, Erin's eyes snapped open and she mouthed an apology to Vlad, she should have seen him there. Vlad shook his head imperceptibly; he shouldn't have spoken either without thinking so this wasn't just her fault.

Ryan looked between them, as quick as a flash he grabbed Vlad's throat yanking him from the room and into the hallway. He slammed him against the wall, ripping Erin away from him. Vlad's head bounced off the wall leaving an indentation in the wood.

"What. Did. You. Do. To. Her?" He punctuated furiously, with each word Vlad's head slammed against the wall. Vlad didn't get chance to answer as Ryan's face pressed within inches of his, his fangs lowered and dripping.

"Ryan let him go!" Erin shouted angrily at her brother, trying to pry his hands from Vlad's jacket. She knew Vlad could easily do that but she didn't know why he wasn't doing it himself. Ryan's grip only tightened. He tried to force Vlad backwards but Vlad didn't move an inch.

The young vampire kept his gaze level as Ryan growled at him. He could feel Erin trying to pry her brother's fingers from his jacket.

"What did you do to her?" He snapped at Vlad. Vlad kept his eyes fixed on Ryan. He wasn't going to answer until Ryan let him go but Erin had other ideas as she yanked at Ryan's arm. She forgot how strong vampires were but she was surprised to feel Ryan's arm beginning to shift under her tightening grip. Ryan looked at her in surprise, he wouldn't let go of the vampire who'd done this to her. Ryan pulled his arm back, trying to shrug her off and sent Erin flying to the ground.

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Erin glared up at her brother as she landed on her back her legs bending upwards as she grimaced at the impact, her eyes closing as she winced monetarily breaking her glare.

Vlad shoved Ryan away from him as Erin landed on the floor. Ryan shoved into the opposite wall as Vlad let out a low growl, his arms spread out as he tried to grasp something to stop himself falling through it. Ryan looked at Erin a clear apology in his eyes but he wasn't going to say it, he had to keep up appearances and scold his barely younger sister.

Vlad extended his hand to Erin; he could see she wasn't hurt just some of her pride was knocked from her. He remembered then that her leg was in the cast, although her raised eyebrow might have had something to do with that. He placed his hands on her waist and gently hoisted her up into the air until she could stand once more. Erin glared at her brother, fury burning in her eyes as she brushed herself down, removing the dust that had collected on her clothes from the unclean floor.

He pushed Erin behind him, she took one look into his eyes and immediately she knew that one Vlad had stepped back and another had taken over to protect her. She could see the way his fangs dropped downwards from the way his top lip was protruding,

Ryan pushed himself from the wall, standing upright once more. "I should stake him…"

"You stake him and I swear Ryan I will stake you." Erin threatened, lowly and very slowly. She was using a tone that usually made Vlad flinch.

"You can't kill Erin." It wasn't a secret that Erin was near enough the world's worst slayer; she didn't have the killer instinct or even the capability to murder. Erin hadn't been able to kill him before.

"Do you really want to test that if you kill him?" Erin knew she would do it, it would be the only time she would, she would avenge Vlad. She wouldn't be able to stop herself; she now had an inkling of how Ingrid must have felt when Will was killed in front of her eyes.

"He touched you!"

Erin rolled her eyes. "I let him!" She snarled back at her brother, it wasn't as if he'd done it against her will. "And you knew about us."

Ryan shook his head, he was supposed to look out for her and he'd felt he'd failed his just barely baby sister. "You swore it couldn't happen Erin!"

Erin had been waiting for this. "I know! It wasn't supposed to."

Then a light came on in Ryan's head, "That's why you're so desperate to find out what the slayers did to you, why you were sick earlier."

"I'm not suffering from morning sickness yet!" She snapped at him, she wasn't or at least she hoped she wasn't. Vlad raised an eyebrow at her, he wasn't too convinced that her being ill earlier wasn't the start of morning sickness, they'd know within the next twenty four to forty eight hours. She saw the look Vlad was shooting her and growled at him. He immediately rearranged his face to look on her in pure agreement with her.

Ryan took her irritation and desperation to mean something else. "You want to find out what they did so you can get rid of it." He told her with a sigh of relief.

Erin felt as if she'd been slapped, she couldn't believe Ryan could be so cold and callous; he'd never been like that before the bite. Then again being bitten changed you. "I'm *NOT* getting rid of Vlad's child." She wrapped her arms protectively around her stomach.

Ryan looked as if he expected it to burst out of her stomach like in Alien at it. Erin growled making him drag his eyes slowly up to her face. "It's a…"

Erin raised her hand, preparing to punch her brother if he finished speaking what he was thinking. She wasn't violent but it was the only punishment she could think of in that moment. "You finish that sentence, Ryan Zachary Noble, and I'll wash your mouth out with garlic!"

Ryan tutted and shook his head. "You don't know what you've gotten into." He told her treating her like the child she'd never been. Growing up as a ward of the Guild made you grow up quicker.

Anger burned within her, terrifying fierce anger. Her brother had crossed the line. "A child is a child. I love Vlad and I love our child, I don't care that I'm seventeen," She was getting that in before he could. "It is my body and I will keep our child safe until it's born." She was ignoring the chance she couldn't carry to full term.

"You've ruined her life before it's even begun!" Ryan shouted at him, Vlad looked down and away. Erin saw the way he closed his eyes and gulped. Ryan's words had cut to the very heart of him.

She stood on her toes and kissed his neck, he didn't react. She heard something choked coming from in his chest. Erin lifted her hands and physically pulled his face around to hers. She had to use a great deal of force to twist his head. He blinked slowly and looked at her. "You haven't ruined anything." She assured him, she didn't have a life until she met him and she didn't consider it ruined.

"I have." Vlad whispered. He drew his eyes slowly towards Ryan before shrugging off her gentle touch and walking from the room.

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Erin wanted to follow him but she felt an arm on her shoulder holding her back.

"The best thing you can do is let him go."

"I won't let him go." Erin snapped at her brother. "It might be hard to understand but I love him. I betrayed the Guild for him." She'd do it a hundred times over again and then some.

"You saved me." He reminded her. "You entered the Guild to save me." He tried to convince her.

Erin looked down, she hadn't known Ryan was there and he knew that. "I went to find out how they were going to slay Vlad and stop it."

He shook his head angrily, "So your boyfriend came first."

Erin narrowed her eyes; Ryan had wanted to keep the distance between them not her. "Vlad's always protected me; I wanted to keep him safe as well." Vlad was the future and the key to every single kinds' survival, killing him would have achieved only death for all. She loved Vlad and she didn't want to see him slain either.

"I've kept you safe far more than that vampire of yours!" Ryan yelled at her. He'd known her for seventeen and a half years; Vlad had known her for six months at most.

He'd just opened a can of worms.

"If you wanted me to be safe then maybe you shouldn't have gone running after a vampire you couldn't handle or come running back to me after you were bitten!" She screamed at Ryan. Ryan took a step backwards. Erin wanted him to hear this; this had all been bottled up for months. "I *am* safe Ryan, safer than I've ever been as a slayer and as your sister. The reason I've been safe for so long with Vlad's family is because of Vlad, with him I'm safe from whatever the Guild did to me."

"If that's what you think…"

"IT IS!" She shouted, "You won't change that. If you can't handle what's happened then I don't ever want to hear you mention it once more."

"Erin you don't know what will happen…"

"And you do?!" She snarled at him, "I don't want you involved with my child if you're going to act like this. Ryan you are a vampire, Vlad is a vampire and I'm carrying a half vampire child. Would you prefer Vlad had made me a half fang to carry our child?" Her eyebrows rose as she asked the question, somehow being with the other Vlad had given her the confidence to be more confrontational and considering the current circumstances she wouldn't trade that for the world.

Ryan hissed as Erin struck a nerve, he would never ask for his sister to be bitten. "You know I'd never want that."

"Then be happy for me that it happened this way." She told him but he looked away from her still clearly disgusted.

Erin couldn't even look at her brother anymore; she simply spun on her heel and walked away from him.

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Erin placed a hand on Vlad's chest, holding him in place. Vlad barely looked at her; he looked everywhere but at her finding the wall far more interesting.

"Vlad?"

"He's right." He answered, "I've ruined your life. You're not eighteen…" Vlad had been her strength so far, she couldn't have him doubting himself.

"Will I have a life in Transylvania?" She asked him. Vlad looked at her for the first time, blinking, trying to make out why she'd asked that question.

His head pulled back as confusion crossed his face, "Yeah." He'd make sure she'd have one, Erin could be anything she wanted once he made the changes necessary to make it possible.

"Then you haven't ruined anything." She smiled, "I want to be with you. The baby makes it more interesting." She teased making him chuckle lightly.

"We're young." He warned her. No male vampire had ever produced an heir before their eighteenth birthday, he knew there would be a backlash from it – leaving the fact she was a former slayer aside at the moment.

"I don't care." She didn't care about their ages, it had happened and she wasn't going to change it. "I threw my life away when I wanted to save my brother. In this country I can only be a slayer and no matter how many A Levels I'm studying for nothing will change that, you said I could be whatever I wanted with you." He nodded she could be whatever she wanted.

"I want you to be my partner." He reminded her still afraid to use the term 'Queen' as that meant something neither of them were ready for.

Erin placed a warm hand on his neck and tipped it forwards, "I know you do." The thought was terrifying so she didn't think about it. "But you haven't ruined anything for me."

Then something slammed against the wall.

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Vlad didn't think twice he grabbed Erin and sped to the hallway where the door was wide open. The door was resting against the wall, an indentation clear for all to see where it had collided.

There was something missing from the hallway. "Where's Ryan?"

Vlad sniffed the air but he couldn't smell Ryan's scent, only Erin's. Vlad leaned around Erin, glancing down the hallway. The door was open wide.

"You don't think…" Erin began quietly.

Her brother surely wouldn't tell Vlad's family about her current condition as she was his sister. However he was loyal to Ingrid and that put a different slant on things.

Vlad looked slowly towards the door once more. "We need to stop him before he does."

They knew the consequences all too well if they didn't.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Boy or girl?_

_Thanks for reading._


	59. Recognition

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I forgot to ask that if anyone does notice anything that seems to be heading in a Vlad/Chloe direction in any of my fics would you let me know? I think I've got it all but if I haven't I'm eager to sort it out._

Chapter 59: Recognition

Vlad didn't give Erin any warning, not that she needed any. He pulled her close and vanished into the air with all the strength and speed he could muster.

There was no point in trying to confront Ryan in mid-air; it was too dangerous for Erin anyway so that left the only option being the school.

There was one good thing about being the Chosen One – he was faster than the average vampire and much faster than a half fang.

Vlad knew where he was going; he hoped Ryan wasn't as sure.

He didn't mind flying so much if he didn't transform into a bat. He hated flying as a bat. There was something unnatural in the feeling that it created within him. He didn't embrace it although his father said he'd enjoy it. Even the evil side of him didn't like flying as a bat he preferred to be in his humanoid form.

Vlad enjoyed the way the wind swept through his hair and the feeling of the wind on his face. He couldn't feel the cold but he could feel the pressing sensation as he cut through the air. In the air he wasn't confined to pretending to be something he could never be – normal. He could show every side of him if he wanted to and no one would notice in the darkness of the night.

He swept his gaze over the courtyard as he drew closer to the school. He sniffed the air – there was no sign of Ryan yet. He'd beaten him.

He landed quietly on the hard cobbles, fully prepared for Ryan.

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Erin stepped back from Vlad, making sure that she'd fully regained her balance before letting go of him completely. She'd never travelled that fast before with him. She felt lightheaded. Erin closed her eyes trying to let her head catch up with her body. Once she was sure that the tingling in her head had vanished completely she opened her eyes once more. She didn't feel sick like she'd expected to instead she'd enjoyed travelling that fast with him.

"You okay?" Vlad asked, worrying about her reaction, concerned that he'd hurt their child in his haste to get here.

"Yeah, we've just never gone that fast before." She smiled at him, he grinned back at her. He'd always been afraid she wouldn't be able to handle him going that fast but it seemed he didn't need to worry anymore. "I liked it."

"We wait?" She asked him.

He nodded. "We wait."

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Vlad didn't have to wait long in fact the amount of time that he did have to wait surprised him. He hadn't expected Ryan to be so fast.

Ryan faltered as he saw the pair of them waiting for him, both blocking the entranceway. He let out a growl, fangs showing. Erin rolled her eyes and was tempted to tell him to put them away. She blinked naturally and Ryan took advantage of that.

When she opened her eyes he'd vanished from her vision but so had Vlad. Suddenly she was pushed to one side as she felt something settle in front of her. Vlad had caught Ryan. She'd forgotten that Vlad's eyes were quicker than hers as he was used to seeing his kind use that rate of speed.

Vlad had known what he was about to do the moment Erin's eyes closed naturally. Ryan hadn't counted on him predicting his next actions.

Vlad was the aggressive one this time he grabbed Ryan's shoulder and threw him backwards, away from the door as he turned him physically around to face him. His grip increased stopping just short of Vlad breaking his collar bone. Ryan let out a gasp as he found he couldn't move from Vlad's firm grip. He winced as he knew how easily Vlad could break his bones.

Vlad leaned close, "You tell them about Erin and you know they'll kill her."

"Ingrid…" Ryan began to protest but he was cut off by the loud roar of thunder and the clap of lightning outside that seemed to reverberate around the school. Erin looked at Vlad, scolding him visibly for letting his anger control him. He didn't listen, not that Erin expected him to when it came to looking out for her.

"You have no right to tell them." Vlad snapped at him, he might be Erin's brother but that's where any responsibility ended.

"They have a right to know…"

"And they will." Vlad told him, they wouldn't keep it a secret forever and it would become obvious around his birthday anyway. "When me and Erin decide to tell them not you. You have no say in this at all."

"You can't stop me."

Ryan didn't count on one thing though, the power Vlad held. Vlad could stop him with a simple click of his fingers if he had to. "I will mind wipe you if I have to. Think about your sister for once in your unlife!" Vlad shouted at Ryan, his unlife counted as the day he became a vampire. Ryan quietened, "If you don't Erin will be drained." Ryan nodded, Vlad was right. "I will know if you tell Ingrid." He warned him, Ingrid wouldn't be able to hold back on that information not that she dared to blackmail him now. He held her unlife in his hands. "Now go!" Vlad snapped, he was ordering Ryan from the school it was clear enough the way his eyes flickered towards the sky.

"Erin…"

Erin looked at Vlad; temptation would always be in Ryan's way until they revealed her condition to his family themselves. They had enough to deal with; they couldn't deal with Ryan as well. "It's better if you leave for now." Her voice was sad as she spoke, she didn't want him to go but it was safer for her and Vlad this way. "Just until we tell them or find out more." She promised him. "I'm sorry."

Ryan nodded, Erin couldn't take the risk his loyalty would get the better of him. He knew Vlad would mind wipe him and he preferred to keep his memories. "We haven't finished Dracula." He warned Vlad, he wasn't going to let the fact the future Grand High Vampire had gotten his sister pregnant.

"I know."

Ryan spat at him making Erin jump but Vlad just held his ground. Ryan looked at his sister before vanishing into the air.

He wouldn't be gone for long.

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Vlad tried to hold onto Erin as they made their way towards the throne room but she didn't want any form of vampire crutch.

"I'm sorry Erin." He whispered.

"It's the only thing we could do." She wasn't going to let him think that he was the only one who supported the decision, she did too.

"It's not for ever." She told him with a half-smile, "I don't want you hurt and with Ryan around he will hurt you."

"You're his sister." Vlad told her gently. "He wants to protect you but his loyalty contradicts that."

She kissed his jaw. "I know." She reached around him and pushed the door to the throne room open stepping inside.

The atmosphere that hit Erin was immediately a cold and tense one. She shivered and from the way Vlad bristled she knew he'd felt it too. Ingrid wasn't looking anywhere but at the article in front of her. Bertrand was drinking his goblet slowly and the Count was ignoring the both of them. Anyone would think that they'd been gone longer than they had.

Erin clunked slightly as she moved, her cast banging against the floorboards, as Vlad pushed her further into the room.

"You're back then." The Count muttered not bothering to look up at his son over the top of the Vampire Times.

Vlad bit his tongue as he fought not to reply sarcastically. He gestured with his eyes for Erin to sit down but she shook her head. Vlad reached into his pocket, he knew his father would look at him eventually but he wanted to get to the point almost immediately. "Erin found this in her home."

The Count flicked his eyes over to what Vlad held in his hands for a matter of seconds before looking back at his paper – clearly uninterested in what Vlad had.

Something seemed to register in the Count's mind as his hands tightened on the newspaper. His finger nails going directly through the thin Transylvanian paper.

"Dad?" Vlad asked his father, moving closer to him. The Count didn't react to Vlad's natural moniker for him. The youngest vampire turned to look at Erin who shrugged she didn't understand the Count's reaction either.

The Count's eyes moved from his paper toward Vlad or rather the object in his son's hand. He thought at first he was mistaken but there was no way he could be mistaken. His eye sight was too sharp to have made him see things.

"What do you know?" Vlad asked seeing the way the Count's eyes were fixed on the crest. "Dad, please, if it will help find out what they did to Erin you have to tell me." The Count tried to look at his son, "And I can tell when you lie to me." Red eyes and all that, Vlad had told him years ago so there was no point in trying to close his eyes to fool his son.

The Count's lips moved to try and force a 'w' from his mouth but his eyes blinked as his expression pinched. Recognition was in his eyes. Of course there was recognition for what the crest was but there was another kind of recognition in his eyes. "Where… Where did you get this?"

"Erin's home." Vlad repeated, he'd told that to his father once already.

"You'd better not be lying Vladdy." The Count told his son, practically pocking Vlad in the chest.

"I'm not lying." Vlad promised him, he wouldn't lie about this, he couldn't lie about this. The Count scrutinised his son closely, trying to see into Vlad's soul but Vlad was a closed book. No one could get past his defences apart from one person. "Why did Erin's parents have our crest? No Dracula has been killed by slayers in five hundred years."

"I'm not sure." The Count's answer was truly unsure, he seemed to know something but at the same time he didn't. Vlad looked at his father, "I need to…" He trailed off as he vanished from the room, leaving Vlad alone with Erin, Ingrid and Bertrand.

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Vlad gestured for Erin to sit down once more and this time she did – if anything to stop him from trying again.

"Is now the time to mention a fake staking?" Ingrid asked her brother, taking a chance. He was back and until the Count came back with more information there wasn't anything that Vlad could really do.

Vlad let out a groan; he couldn't put it off for much longer. "Fine." He snapped at her making Erin jump on the seat. He stepped closer to his sister. "We need to arrange for Dad to be out of the school for a while." He told her. They needed it to look like the Count had been well and truly slain.

"Why don't you insult some more of his friends? It worked last time." Ingrid suggested, Erin bit her lip. Vlad always seemed to somehow insult the Count's friends by being himself.

"We can't let anyone know that he's still alive. You know loyalty is bought and sold." Bertrand answered for Vlad, Vlad tossed him a grateful look. It didn't go unnoticed the hardness that appeared on his tutor's face as he looked at Ingrid.

"You could lock him in his coffin again." His sister suggested drawing an interested look from Erin.

"That was once." Vlad protested, "It was Bite A Breather Day." He looked back at Ingrid, "You can think of a way to get him out of here. Castle shopping anything…"

"Why me?!"

"Because this is your mess that I'm cleaning up – again." Vlad snarled at her.

"When do I need to do this by?"

Vlad knew it had to be sooner rather than later, "Next week, after Jonno and Mina have been."

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Seeing Vlad was distracted, Bertrand gently grasped Erin's arm, Erin looked up at the second oldest vampire in the school in surprise. Suddenly all around her the scenery changed. The room had less occupants in it for a start and it was more spacious.

After a moment she finally felt herself adjust to her surroundings completely. The training room, this would officially be the first time she was in here with Bertrand's permission.

"I know you're pregnant Erin." Erin felt her blood run cold with those words.

And Ryan hadn't said a thing.

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"We've got ash somewhere, Ramanga will insist it's tested." They'd kept the ash of the fallen vampires Sethius had killed. Ingrid nodded. "

Vlad felt something at the back of his mind, it filled him with a sense of concern. "Where's Erin?" Vlad suddenly asked panic filling him. His eyes scoured the room trying to search for the former slayer.

Ingrid gave a shrug, she thought her younger brother had noticed. "Bertrand took her."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading_


	60. Message

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Can I thank everyone for their support throughout my problems? I'm forever grateful, even now the only thing that's keeping me going is your lovely reviews._

_Every time I heard and still hear the 'ping' on my mobile it gives me the strength to fight this bully. I know it's not the end just yet but at least I got my account back – granted I had to do a lot of damage control to it._

_Your reviews are keeping me going and giving me courage to fight. I only hope that I can do this story justice._

Chapter 60: Message

"I know you're pregnant Erin." Erin felt her blood run cold with those words.

Ryan hadn't said a thing.

So how did Bertrand know?

She opened her mouth to speak but nothing wanted to come out. Her mouth just opened and closed soundlessly, it felt as if something was blocking her throat – a lump. Her first instinct was to protect her child but Bertrand knew a lie when he saw one. He could spot Vlad's lies a mile off or he used to be able to. "How?" It came out – eventually – high pitched and forced.

With that word she'd confirmed it but it wasn't like she had a choice. Bertrand looked downwards. He ignored her question focussing on what her pregnancy meant for his kind and Vlad. "This is Vlad's first heir. The only heir that will be as powerful as him." Bertrand told her quietly, he needed her to understand the responsibility of the child she was carrying. "No other heir will have the same powers as Vlad."

Only one could inherit Vlad's title and power and that would be the first born – it would stop power struggles and ensure that the ruling clan remained in control for a long time to come.

"I'm not getting rid of it." Erin told Bertrand firmly, he seemed to relax.

Erin went back the question she'd tried to ask moments before. "How did…"

"I can sense power." He told her, it was how he'd managed to find Vlad. He'd been trained to sniff out power. He managed to seek out a powerful mind with his. He could feel the power from the unborn child Erin was carrying even at this stage of its development. "I sensed it when you were outside Miss McCauley's office." Erin remembered Bertrand freezing and acting strangely, it explained everything. "Also I'm four hundred Erin, I know the signs. You're glowing." That was the first clear sign, he doubted anyone else would notice he was used to looking at every detail closely and analysing it. "And Vlad is more protective of you than he's ever been before."

"It wasn't planned…" She began quietly; she didn't want anyone to think she'd done it on purpose. "Please don't tell the Count…" She knew she was pleading futilely.

"I won't." Bertrand answered immediately. He wouldn't tell anyone. He knew the power structure, if Vlad's was denounced or anything happened to it – garlic forbid Erin should miscarry – the Council wouldn't hesitate to take the throne if anything happened to Vlad. It wouldn't do any good to tell the Count.

Erin blinked, she hadn't expected that answer from Bertrand. "Thanks."

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The sound of a sonic boom made Erin turn around to see Vlad standing as coiled as a spring behind her. She looked at him in confusion not understanding why he was so tense.

"Leave her alone." Vlad ground out before he actually absorbed the scene in front of him.

"He hasn't hurt me." Erin told him, reaching out and tracing his right cheekbone with her fingers.

Erin turned towards him in surprise. His eyes were wide as he saw that Erin wasn't in any distress and Bertrand clearly wasn't acting in a threatening manner towards her. He moved closer to his girlfriend wrapping his arms around her waist in a protective and possessive manner. He was clearly demonstrating to Bertrand that Erin was his and he wasn't going to let anyone or anything touch her.

Bertrand's gaze was drawn to Vlad's hands, Erin was confused at what had grasped Bertrand's attention. She looked down to see Vlad's thumbs moving back and forth over her stomach. It was a habit he'd have to break around everyone else.

"Bertrand knows." Erin told Vlad quietly. He looked at her in pure surprise; he didn't need her to explain any further to know what she meant and he knew Erin wouldn't have told him.

"Oh." Vlad muttered, the only thing he could say. Erin twisted to look up at him surprised at her boyfriend's lack of words as well.

"You're old enough to make your own decisions." Bertrand told him, Vlad blinked in surprise nodding he hadn't expected Bertrand to react like that. "At least Erin is anyway." He knew he shouldn't have expected Bertrand to support him judging by the disappointment in those words towards his pupil.

"I'm older than Erin!" Vlad protested.

"By breather culture but you're a vampire!" Bertrand spat at him. "In fact Erin is too young by breather culture as well!"

Erin stepped forward, "Sixteen…" Bertrand gave her a sharp look and she quietened. Vlad blinked he knew Erin wasn't as scared of Bertrand as she once was but that gave him pause for thought. She looked downwards.

"I think before your father hears about this you need to find out why it happened." He knew it was something that shouldn't happen, it was most likely all part of what had been done to Erin's DNA. He cast a glance towards Erin, "And before she starts to show."

"She's barely six weeks." Vlad muttered, resulting in a harsh look from Bertrand. "We're dealing with it." It was all they were thinking of at the moment. "I suppose you're going to tell Ingrid."

"Ingrid has her secrets I have mine." Bertrand answered him cryptically. Vlad's forehead creased as he tried to understand the emotion behind his words but he couldn't find it out. "I don't have any place in your family quarrels." He never had and he'd been burned when he'd been forced into them before, "I care about your future and the future of vampire's everywhere." Bertrand told him firmly. "Erin was a slayer you'll need to deal with that. Our kind won't react well to the fact that you have a slayer as a potential mate…" Erin let out a choked sound but Vlad pretended not to hear it. They weren't there yet. Bertrand didn't comment, "And you know you'll be held responsible Vlad." Vlad nodded, he knew that and he was thankful that Erin would be spared. "If I get asked about it I'm not lying." He warned Vlad and Erin together. He'd been drawn into too much lately.

Then in the blink of an eye he was gone.

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"Stay with me." Erin pleaded as Vlad turned to leave her at her door. She needed her sleep, she'd been awake far too long already. After everything she wanted someone with her to reassure her she wasn't on her own.

They'd get caught, it wasn't possible this time. "I can't."

"Please Vlad." Her eyes widened as she pleaded with him. He ran a hand through his hair. "I need this, I need you." She whispered. In truth he needed her too but there were too many risks involved. He knew he'd sleep better with her in his arms. "I'll lock the door, you can use that energy shield thing to make sure no vampire can get in."

She was right, they could take every precaution. He nodded before stepping inside her room. Erin pulled Vlad over to her coffin, Vlad looked unsure. "I don't think it's a good idea…"

"It won't hurt the baby." She interrupted, brushing his hair from his eyes. She never admit that she loved his hair went it fell into his eyes, a thrill raced through her as it showed that both Vlad's were in control around her. She didn't have to talk to one through the other they were both there for her.

"We don't know that for certain."

"I must have been pregnant the last time we were together, it was fine then it'll be fine now." She reminded him, he still seemed to hesitate – unsure whether he should do this or not.

Erin decided to make the first move, undoing the top buttons of his shirt before grabbing the hems of both shirts that he wore. He seemed to realise what she was about to do but didn't stop her.

Erin yanked Vlad's shirt over his head, exposing his cream skin to her eyes. She smirked at him as she ran a hand over his chest watching as his muscles tensed before quivering at the contact. She had a flirtatious look on her face as she looked through her eyelids at him.

Vlad wasn't going to let that sway him. "Are you sure this is safe for you and the baby?" Vlad asked her again, capturing her hand and lifting it to her lips before it could trail lower.

She nodded, "Yeah, we'll be fine." She assured him, kissing him lightly. He seemed to hesitate some more, unsure whether this was a good idea at all. "Trust me." She whispered.

Vlad nodded, he was being silly. Everything had been fine last time. He moved his hand to her cheek, brushing the hair from her face – it was growing longer and Erin seemed content to let it grow. He brushed the pads of his fingers against her cut, the hair moved easily. He blinked taken aback, her cut was substantially smaller and nearly completely healed. That was impossible. It shouldn't have healed that quickly, there didn't look like there would be as large a scar as there should be either. He couldn't understand… the baby. The baby must be helping her heal faster. He looked down at her leg he wondered if it was helping that heal as well.

Erin grasped his hand lightly, "What's wrong?" She was worried about the length of time it had taken him to respond.

"Nothing." He smiled at her, he didn't want to worry her. She narrowed her eyes knowing that he was lying or at least he wasn't going to tell her yet. There was no point in pushing him for it, she knew he'd tell her.

He lowered his face to hers, kissing the worry from her. Erin opened her mouth, their tongues brushing slowly before growing more frantic. She felt his hands on her shirt. She arched into him as she felt his cold fingers brush her spine. Her grip on his hand tightened before trailing her fingers up his arms to rest on his shoulders.

He hoisted her into the air, Erin wrapped her legs around his waist as he pulled her shirt from her in a fluid motion. The coffin was still flat like a bed. He lowered her slowly onto the coffin/bed and covered her body with his. Erin smiled up at him, her white teeth showing. Vlad looked down at her stomach and the smile slipped as she thought he'd protest again but instead he just lowered his lips to her abdomen and kissed the tender flesh there.

The small gesture brought tears to her eyes. "I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too." He answered before trailing kissed from her stomach, across her chest and along the curve of her neck to her jaw. All the while removing her jeans from her. Erin let out a gasp every time he found a sensitive spot. She could feel the smirk at every sound she made, he began to suckle at the skin of her collar bone. Eventually the smirk got to her and she grasped his face in her hands and brought his lips to hers.

It was enough teasing for the night.

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A knocking on the door jolted Erin awake. She saw the handle rattling and was thankful that she'd had the mind to lock it. She moved to get up only to feel herself being held firmly. Her legs were tangled with Vlad's and his arms were around her, holding her hands. He was spooned against her, she wasn't used to him sleeping on his side. Usually he slept on his back, a habit from sleeping inside his coffin. His cheek was resting on her hair, the familiar cape across them both.

The rattle came again and she pulled completely from Vlad's arms, she stood turning and shaking his shoulder to wake him.

"What?" He muttered, slightly grouchy. Erin smirked at this side of him, he must have been tired. He opened his eyes before darting back, he wasn't used to seeing a wall he was used to seeing a ceiling. Erin put her hand to her mouth trying to stop herself from laughing.

"Someone's at the door." Vlad shot up, the cape pooling at his waist making Erin shiver as her skin was introduced to the cold air. He gave her a visible apology not daring to speak in case anyone heard it. It could be Ingrid or Bertrand on the other side of the door but they wouldn't usually come to Erin's room.

Erin moved from the coffin, grabbing a discarded shirt from the floor. It was a double shirt but she only wanted the button shirt. She peeled the t-shirt away and slipped it over her small frame. It was clearly Vlad from the way it swamped her. She glanced back at the awed expression on his face.

"What?" She couldn't understand why he was looking at her with reverence dressed in his shirt.

"You look great in that." He answered, Erin felt herself flush as she looked down and his face rearranged into a grin. His shirt was handing from her figure, disguising her form stopping half way down her thigh – her legs still exposed to him. She'd pushed the sleeved half way up her shoulders. She supposed that Vlad could see how messy her hair was and she knew he liked it after one of their nights together. The buttons were still mostly undone but they didn't reveal anything rather giving a tease of what the shirt held. The shirt was across her left shoulder, leaving it exposed, she groaned as she saw the red love bite there. At least she could cover it easily. If it was closer to her neck she'd have a few problems. She quickly fastened two more buttons drawing a groan from him but a smile from her.

She turned and hobbled towards the door. Her leg didn't even hurt anymore, she just wanted this stupid cast off. It was a dead weight on her. Vlad seemed to notice her moving, "What are you doing?"

Erin turned to him, gesturing with a jerk of her thumb over her shoulder. "Answering it."

"They'll see me!" He hissed.

"If its Renfield you know he has his own keys, I'd rather not be caught with you in here by him." Renfield would tell the Count immediately. Vlad's energy lock would only stop vampires not breathers who had a set of keys of their own. Vlad nodded, she had some logic in there – he only hoped that Renfield didn't notice Erin wearing his shirt.

Erin cautiously turned the key in the lock before opening the door a fraction – just enough so her head poked out. She was right it was Renfield. He looked at her slowly before trying to see around her into the room. "I have a message for Master Vlad."

"I don't know where he is." Erin lied, making sure Renfield couldn't see around her and into her room.

"He's not in his room." Renfield regarded her with suspicion.

"He might be training." She suggested almost feebly, "I can give it to him." She spoke as she saw the envelope in Renfield's hand. She held out hers, waiting for him to give her the note.

Renfield didn't answer or react in any way, he just scrutinised her some more. He didn't seem to want to leave. Erin's eyes flickered over to Vlad who was now frozen in the coffin.

Vlad felt pure horror fill him as he realised what was most likely in that message.

How could he have forgotten?!

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	61. Meeting

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_My reason for not posting is in the next chapter…_

_I wanted this one to flow with the last…_

_Please let me know what you think so far…_

Chapter 61: Meeting

Erin was still waiting for Renfield to do something other than stare at her.

"I'll give it to Vlad." She promised Renfield. Erin wasn't lying she'd give it to him the moment the door was locked. She felt herself quivering and her resolve crumbling as she waited patiently for Renfield to give her the note.

Renfield narrowed his eyes before hesitantly giving the note to Erin. She took it from him, curling her fingers around it tightly and clutching it to her chest. She wanted to slam her door shut but she had to wait until Renfield turned away.

The second Renfield had disappeared she slammed the door shut and leaned against it heavily. Her eyes fixed on Vlad who looked panicked in the coffin.

"What is it?" She didn't like the look that seemed to be fixed on his face. He seemed to be staring at the end of the coffin, deep in thought. Slowly she made her way across to him the cast once more making her leg feel like a dead weight.

She held the message out to Vlad but it seemed to take him a few moments to realise that it was in front of him. Erin clambered onto the bed/coffin, wrapping her arms around his bare waist and resting her chin on his shoulder. She pressed her lips down kissing the skin with the briefest of touches.

Vlad knew that it was too early to be from Jonno and Mina beside the fact he already knew where they were meeting. There was only one other place the note could have come from.

With rapt attention, Erin watched as Vlad unfolded the message. She studied, or tried to read the writing on the paper. She struggled at first thinking that it was her dyslexia stopping her then she realised that it had been written in Vlad's native language. She heard him mutter the odd word and savoured it, he hadn't agreed to letting her hear him speak it and she wanted to hear the words. She loved the sounds of the snippets she had heard so far.

She was brought back to reality with a bump as he threw the note across the room with a roar, shortly before it burst into flames.

"What's wrong?"

Vlad turned to look over his shoulder at her, his expression softening as he saw her. Erin's presence was calming to him and brought him back to thinking things through rationally. "The wolves. Marcus has his answer." Vlad muttered, "When he said before the 'next full moon' I didn't think that we were half way to the next one." When he'd met Marcus they were twenty days into the lunar cycle. That left nine and he'd nearly used up seven of those. The wolves weren't known for carefully thinking through decisions it would have been quick and impulsive.

Erin didn't understand why Vlad was so worried. "What's wrong with that?"

"Because I have to respond to it. I'm not Grand High Vampire yet but they won't deal with Dad. It's my mess and I have to deal with it. I haven't thought about what will happen if they want revenge and I haven't got time to. They want to meet tonight." Erin closed her eyes and winced, she could see the problem now. "Will you help me?" He asked her quietly.

Erin's face softened, he didn't have to ask to know her answer. His timidness at the question made her heart melt. "You know I will."

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"No." Erin told Ingrid firmly. There was absolutely no way that she was going to let Ingrid do this to her.

Ingrid let out a growl, "It'll solidify your position as Vlad's girlfriend."

"I said no Ingrid." Erin snapped again, her hormones were beginning to affect her; she was six weeks pregnant so it was bound to happen sooner or later.

"You have to."

Erin shook her head frantically, "I don't have to do anything." At times like this she wished she could click her fingers like Vlad, freeze everyone then walk away to find something better to do with her time. Unfortunately she wasn't a vampire and couldn't do that – not that she wanted to become one.

"Erin?" Vlad asked quietly as he entered the room, tugging on his leather collar uncomfortably. He'd heard the argument all the way down the hall.

Erin didn't take her eyes from Ingrid, afraid that if she did Ingrid would force her to do what she wanted. "Ingrid wants to dress me up as a vampire." Her voice quivered as she spoke.

Vlad noticed for the first time the leather garments in Ingrid's arms. Of course Erin would react violently to them.

The light behind Ingrid exploded casting them into semi darkness, Erin jumped high. She couldn't see Vlad's face but she knew it was one of thunder. "You're not dressing her as one of us." His voice boomed as it bounced off the walls of the room.

Ingrid wasn't intimidated, or at least she didn't show she was but Vlad wasn't at his fiercest. "Marcus expects…"

"He already knows what Erin is. I'm not having her dressed up to prove that she's my girlfriend." Vlad stepped forward, his head not moving as his lip curled up. "Leave. Her. Alone." As he spoke the door clicked open slowly, revealing Bertrand for all to see. He looked on the scene in front of him with interest, wondering what Ingrid had said to make Vlad vocally protect Erin.

"She'll have to become on eventually Vlad, if you ever want children…"

"Then it'll be no business of yours." He snarled, Ingrid took a step backwards away from her brother. "You'll respect what Erin thinks and you'll never try to force her into anything again. Is that clear?" Ingrid only gulped. "Is that clear?"

"Yes!" Ingrid answered heatedly.

Vlad nodded stiffly before grabbing Erin and vanishing from the room.

Ingrid shook her head in disgust. "What's up with Vlad and Erin?" Ingrid asked Bertrand, she was going to confront him as he wouldn't have anything to do with her at the moment.

Bertrand considered his answer carefully. He hadn't been asked directly about Erin's condition so he wasn't going to reveal it. "It's between them." He prepared to walk away but felt

"What about what's between us?"

"There's nothing to discuss." There was that formal tone she hated so much rearing its ugly head. When Bertrand was angry he became formal. It was the one thing that betrayed him every single time.

Ingrid wanted this over and done with so she sped in front of him as he prepared to leave the room, clearly he didn't want to stay in there on his own with her. She folded her arms over her chest blocking the doorway and knowing full well he could move her if he wanted to. "I loved Will." Ingrid snapped at him, "Is that what you wanted to hear? You already knew that. I thought he was my soul mate…"

That wasn't exactly what Bertrand wanted to hear. "So I'm just…"

"I'm not finished." She hissed with such ferocity and danger that Bertrand actually stepped back from her. Bertrand had only ever stepped back from Vlad to her knowledge. "I was fifteen then. Too young to actually know that Will was just a crush. Vlad's had crushes I never did." Vlad had one crush that she knew about – Delilah. "I didn't know the difference between real, pure love and a crush back then." As much as she hated to admit it Vlad was better in this area than she was. "I do now Bertrand."

"You couldn't hypnotise him." He reminded her.

"A crush is the start of love, it developed. Of course I wouldn't have been able to hypnotise him." She conceded, "He was my first love. First loves are hard to get over but I have got over him." She knew she was over Will when she'd felt excited about Bertrand asking her out on that date months back and the pain that the knowledge that he'd only dated her to use her had destroyed what remained of her heart at the time. That hurt she'd directed towards Vlad who seemed to have everything she wanted once more – he had someone and she didn't.

"You were going to spend forever with him," Why else would she have bitten him?

She now wasn't proud of her actions, "I bit him not knowing any better. I didn't care whether he wanted to become one of us. When he did I was glad but it wasn't until he was gone I knew it was the bite talking. He only ever knew half of me. Vlad and Erin make it work because they don't have secrets between them anymore; they talk and listen to each other. Vlad knows what Erin wants and tries to make it happen, she does the same for him." Ingrid moved closer, he didn't shift and inch, she lifted a hand to his cheek and stroked it tenderly. She felt the small shift in his position that showed he appreciated her touch and was leaning into it. "I don't want Will to come between us again so I don't want any more secrets between us."

Bertrand couldn't fully agree to that, he knew she'd feel betrayed when she found out that he knew something about Vlad and Erin that she didn't. "No more secrets about us, between us?" She asked, pleading with him.

Bertrand kissed her forehead praying that she'd forgive him when the truth undoubtedly came out. "No secrets."

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Marcus wasn't exactly in the negotiating mood, at least judging from the look on his face when he finally decided to grace the Draculas with his presence almost an hour after the time they were supposed to meet. Vlad was only glad that they hadn't transformed. He didn't want any of his family – or more importantly Erin – hurt, when wolves transformed they became impulsive and callous.

"You sent spies into our territory while we were distracted discussing your actions!"

Vlad blinked at the accusation but he didn't look back at the Count to check this out. He knew his father hadn't sent anyone into their territory. "I haven't sent anyone into your territory."

"You admitted that you'd been in our territory but not that anyone else had. Was it because you were caught?"

"I told you because it was the right thing to do." And Carl had threatened to tell them so he beat the Quester to the punch. It was better to own up and accept the consequences than suffer worse when the wolves found out on their own.

"Three of our wolves have been attacked, bite marks on their necks. You won't bite anyone." Behind him Vlad heard a hiss, he guessed it was his father at Vlad's 'no biting' rule already being public knowledge amongst the wolves. Amongst their kind was one thing, amongst the wolves was another, "Luckily your kind doesn't affect mine, fanger." Marcus looked at the vampire with barely restrained hatred.

Vlad let out a growl, 'fanger' wasn't a very flattering term for vampires. "I haven't sent anyone across into your territory." He repeated, his fangs lowering dramatically and illustrating where the wolves got their name 'fanger' from for the vampire kind.

"How do explain the bite marks on their necks?!" Bite marks went with vampires, wolves bit people but their bites were different to those of a vampire.

"Do they even know who attacked them?"

"It's obvious."

Vlad growled and tried it another way, "I want peace with slayers, do you honestly think I don't want it with the wolves? That I'd sent my kind to attack yours?" He couldn't think of anything they'd gain from attacking the wolves.

Marcus thought he knew the answer to that, "You don't want to fight two enemies at the same time. We might join with the slayers."

"You know the slayers would wipe your kind out *if* you won." It was unlikely that the slayers would win now anyway – not with the power Vlad wielded.

Marcus looked at the young vampire, "If you're lying to me Dracula…"

"I'm not lying. "

"Your kind is known for double crossing each other!"

Vlad hissed lowly, he didn't like being compared to the rest of his kind. "I'm in charge of my kind not the other way around. If I make an agreement I stick to it."

"You're just a pawn in their game!" Everyone winced at that. Vlad couldn't be manipulated the way he once could. He'd come back stronger than before, more experienced and more of a leader.

"Then why are you meeting with me?" He asked, "Why did you ask to meet me and not the Regent or the Council?"

Marcus crouched ready to pounce on the young vampire leader, "I should rip your fangs out and hand them on the wall…"

Erin stepped forward coming between them, she hobbled slightly, her weight thrown off by the cast on her leg. "Stop it both of you!" She shouted looking at the two of them. They were like children fighting over toys. "Before you get out the garlic and silver bullets just shut up and listen!"

Ingrid made a choked noise and Bertrand stared at her, they hadn't expected her to interrupt Vlad and both frankly looked outraged that she'd done it although no one was outraged as Marcus. "A breather has no place…"

"No I don't!" She yelled at Marcus, Marcus closed his mouth, his long hair flying wildly in the wind. He looked taken aback that she spoke to him in that way. "I don't have a right to pick a side. I might be Vlad's girlfriend but my loyalties aren't to vampires. That makes me neutral and you'll listen – both of you!" She added as she watched them beginning to protest, they were like two young children. "Both of you need sense knocking into you. Someone is playing the wolves, you're going along with them if you withdraw the treaty."

"You don't know anything about the treaty slayer." To her credit Erin didn't bristle at the insulting word.

Vlad's voice was soft as he spoke, a contrast to Marcus' harsh one. "Erin this isn't your area…"

She narrowed her eyes at Vlad, "You wanted my help and I'm giving it. As for the treaty you're right I don't know anything about it. Vlad can wipe out the wolves without a second thought and I'm willing to bet that enough wolves and vampires want to take a piece out of each other. I know that both of you want peace. You need to stand together and not fight."

"Is she telling the truth?"

Vlad didn't take his eyes from Erin, pride filling him at her outburst. "Yes."

Marcus let her words sink in, nothing the young vampire had said seemed to contradict his casual mate's words. Perhaps he didn't want to eradicate them. "I might be able to convince my betas to reconsider or at the very least stall them until we can get to the truth."

There might be retaliations he couldn't promise there wouldn't be.

"If one of your kind hurts or kills mine I will punish them as I want to." Vlad warned him, he wouldn't consult the wolves he would find a fitting punishment.

"I accept that." He ground out formally. He looked at Erin who the vampire was once more shielding protectively, "She's stubborn." Marcus noted, "Strong and not afraid to speak out against me." Erin ducked her head down. Vlad nodded soundlessly, he knew all of that already. "She'd make a fine alpha she-wolf." Erin blinked, unsure what to say at that. Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't know if it was a compliment or a proposal. "I'm not offering anything." Marcus assured her with a laugh. "You'd be prized amongst my kind, it's a compliment."

Erin felt herself relax but Vlad's arm tightened around her waist. "She's prized amongst mine." Vlad told him possessively.

Marcus sniffed as something tickled his nose, a look of wonder crossing his face, "You'll be formalising soon then?"

Erin looked to Vlad in confusion, Vlad seemed to know what he meant by the way he looked down before meeting Marcus' eyes. "No." Marcus looked taken aback at the young vampire.

"I'll speak with the betas once more but I can't promise anything. War will be war but you'll be informed officially. If your kind has been crossing into my territory then all treaties are over." He warned Vlad. Vlad knew he had to start an investigation of his own into the bitings, he only hope he liked the results. As Marcus strolled away, he didn't even bother to speed, he casually threw over his shoulder: "I dealt with my Quester, he's now free to pursue other areas."

Then why was he still hanging around the school?

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	62. Mirror

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Sorry as a last parting shot 'someone' decided to send a virus to my computer in an email, it was labelled as an apology so I opened it. I've had it in dock for the last week getting it sorted._

_The virus did its desired job. It wiped my memory – every last byte._

_However it did backfire on the person who sent it in one way..._

_I don't type my stories on a computer with internet access; we can't have wireless in the house due to medical conditions and migraines so I transfer everything from my two trusty laptops to the main computer. Not one ounce of my fics was deleted. _

_However they succeeded in deleting a year's worth of planning, assessment data, worksheets and resources which made me understandably furious and with Ofsted wanting to make an appearance very soon I'm struggling to rebuild all of that at the moment._

_I just can't believe someone would do all of this over a few stories!_

_Please let me know what you think so far…_

Chapter 62: Mirror

Erin winced as Renfield cut away the cast from around her leg. The feel of the cold scissor like implements sent chills down her spine. Vlad hovered behind her watching with a strange sense of interest as the cast was slowly sliced down the side.

Erin raised her eyes to see his curious ones, with anyone else she'd consider his behaviour creepy but she knew he was interested in what was happening as he'd never seen it before.

The instant her leg was exposed to the air she felt the skin goose bump and she shivered. It actually felt nice – nice not to have something obstructive on her leg. She only hoped it remained that way but being free of a cast permanently after three weeks was being optimistic although to her the leg felt fine.

Renfield moved a homemade device towards Erin and Vlad grabbed it holding it back. The entire thing wobbled.

It was an older model, silver television that filled Vlad with disgust as he looked at it. It was too similar to the one he had a reason to hate. It was also the reason he didn't have one in his room whereas once he would have begged for one. Coils and springs were attached to it on the large, heavy steel frame that supported the television, leading from a twenties looking camera using copper wire. The camera could be attached or removed from the looks of it to take the x-ray. There was even a flash bulb attached to the camera that would typically blow once the picture had been taken.

Renfield tried to struggle against him but failed the device not moving a millimetre while Vlad was holding it steady. Vlad wasn't too sure of this, he knew there was a reason pregnant women couldn't be near x-rays and he didn't want to chance anything happening to either of the people he loved. That was not counting the fact the machine wouldn't explode the moment Renfield switched it on.

"It won't hurt her?"

"This is safer than breather machines." Renfield gloated proudly. "None of those nasty side effect breather machines have. It more advanced than the ones we used on your mother to work out whether she was carrying a male heir." Vlad felt himself sigh at the thought, "Although she is a vampire." Vlad felt himself freeze.

Vlad felt a hand squeeze his, the warmth seeping through him. "I'll be fine Vlad."

"Mistress Erin will be fine." Renfield assured him.

Vlad growled lowly, making sure the threat was obvious to hear. "She'd better be."

The manservant gulped, nodding frantically before reaching towards the machine and turned the television on.

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It burst to life filled with static. The scrambled noise was that loud Vlad grabbed his ears and bent nearly double. Renfield tried to turn down the volume manually, opening the flap at the base of the screen to reveal the P+ and P- buttons to the left of the V+ and V- buttons. He tried to press the V- button, but no matter how hard he pressed the button the volume wouldn't lower.

Vlad's eyes began to water from the way he'd been forced to screw them up so tightly as he tried to block out the noise.

Throughout this Renfield had been getting more and more flustered. Erin leaned over and hit the thing with all her might and immediately the sound stopped. Vlad cracked one eye open and looked at her, she gave a shrug.

"Works with computers." She answered with a smile, he nodded before looking back at the machine. Renfield looked sheepish as he lifted up the camera and held it over her right leg.

Click.

Vlad darted towards Erin and threw himself over her, his girlfriend looked at him as if he were mad. He glanced back at the machine seeing it in one piece and humming gently, he cleared his throat before straightening slowly. The former slayer shook her head before looking at Renfield who's jaw had dropped as he stared at Vlad. The vampire in question pointedly looked the other way. Erin had no choice but to bite her lip and look down.

The only sound that filled the air then was the licking of the programme buttons as Renfield tried to find the right 'channel' for the pictures to appear on the screen. After a few more attempts a remarkably clear image appeared on the screen of Erin's leg.

Renfield scratched his head as he looked at Erin. Then her leg, then the camera then her leg again. He mimicked taking the photo once more. He was sure that he'd photographed the correct leg.

"What's wrong?" Erin asked, terrified that it was worse than it was supposed to be.

"There's no sign of a break Mistress Erin." Erin looked at the screen as Vlad leaned in closer trying to see on the razor sharp image any sign of the breaks that had been there a few weeks before. Erin looked down at her leg, she knew that she wasn't feeling pain in it the way she had a week before.

"How is that possible?" Vlad asked, his voice no more than a whisper. He knew the mark on her forehead had healed quickly and that was what had brought them down here. Erin had wanted to get her leg checked out as well, just in case.

"I don't know. Maybe the hospital got it wrong, maybe it wasn't a break." Renfield tried, it was the only answer he could come up with.

"I saw the x-rays, there was a break." Vlad had been shown them by the nurses, he remembered them pointing out where the breaks had been.

"Why have I healed so fast?" Erin asked Renfield quietly. Renfield shook his head, he couldn't answer that. Erin knew that there was no point in pressing Renfield if Vlad hadn't. Vlad was usually the one who could tell if Renfield was lying and as Vlad hadn't said anything she knew that Renfield was telling the truth. "Will I need physiotherapy?" She asked him.

"Have you been using the crutches?"

Erin cast a guilty glance towards Vlad, she didn't really want to answer that one. "She hasn't really been using them for the last week." He answered, she had used them occasionally but she'd wanted to move around without them more often than not.

"Then no, if she'd been putting weight on it then it's fine. Physiotherapy only builds that strength back up Master Vlad."

Erin seemed happy with that answer on the surface but Vlad knew that her healing ability was bothering her just as much as it bothered him.

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Vlad watched as she darted around the room trying to find something to wear. He watched as she rummaged through her drawers. Erin had insisted on coming back upstairs to get redressed, she wanted to wear something more comfortable now the cast was off her leg.

He grinned as he saw her pull something from the small wardrobe in her room. She held it up against herself asking his opinion. It was a modest dress that came to her knee, mauve in colour. It was completely strapless, relying on six small buttons to hold it closed at the chest. She knew he liked it from the way his eyes seemed to dilate. He knew how women felt about men giving their opinions on their clothing so he was determined to be diplomatic about it and just ask her why she'd picked a dress. "A dress?" He asked. Vlad usually only saw her in school skirts or jeans. He liked seeing her in a dress.

"I'm tired of my leg being covered." She answered with a grin. The dress was thrown onto her coffin as he stepped towards her. Vlad leaned into kiss Erin gently but she dodged him, turning her cheek so he kissed it instead. He looked slightly hurt but she gave him a sheepish look. There was a reason she'd done that.

"I'm feeling sick." She shrugged. He nodded. It had been morning sickness.

Erin leaned towards him, burying her face in his collar bone. He smiled at her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Do you think you're going to be sick?" He asked her softly.

She shook her head, it was just a feeling lolling in her stomach. It would be safer around his family if she just felt sick and wasn't physically sick.

Something had been gnawing at him as he felt her hand cup the back of his neck as she enjoyed him embrace. "Doesn't it bother you?" He whispered.

Erin lifted her head up, she didn't understand his question. "What?"

"My skin being cooler than yours." Erin looked at the places where their skin met. She'd never really considered it before.

"No." She answered truthfully; she liked the cooler feeling of him. It was something that made Vlad unique. The way she felt now it was invaluable. She ran a finger from his jaw stopping just underneath his shirt. She placed her warm fingers there, he wasn't as ice cold as she'd been brought up to believe he was colder but it didn't make her feel cold when they were curled up together. "What about you? Does it bother you I'm warm?"

"No." He answered immediately. "It means you're not one of us and that's all I want." He kissed her hair closing his eyes to inhale her scent. With a groan he pulled back. "Get dressed quickly. There's something we have to do."

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Maybe picking a dress wasn't the best decision, she realised as the cold air hit her. Her arms immediately reacted to the air and she shuddered trying to ignore the sudden drop in temperature. There was enjoying the coolness of Vlad's skin and then the arctic air of the cellar. She knew which she preferred.

Vlad turned to her, "You okay?" He saw her frantically rubbing her arms, trying to get warmth into them.

"I'm fine, I just *hate* being down here." She muttered. "Why are we down here?" Erin asked him softly, shivering at the thought of spiders and whatever else lurked down here in the basement.

Vlad smiled softly at her, "We need to do something." He then took her hand and guided her in a direction she dreamed that she'd never go again, not even in her nightmares. She hesitated at the end of the corridor seeing a familiar half frosted glass door. She shook her head as his hand was jerked back as her body refused to move forward.

"Please Vlad, no…" She began. She couldn't face that mirror again. Not after what it had done to him and to them.

He brushed his fingers under her jaw, caressing the skin there tenderly, "It'll be fine." She still wasn't sure. "I promise." He assured her. She reluctantly nodded and let him take her to the room she hated more than any other in the school.

Their shoes squelched on the damp concrete the short distance to the door. Vlad placed his hand on the brass door handle and turned it, ignoring the squeaking of the mechanism as he did so.

Erin felt herself freeze once more as she saw the gilded gargoyles on the frame surrounded by carved leaves and vines. Seeing the mirror gave her the chills again. This had been one of the sources of so much pain for both of them , she wasn't eager to face it again. Her gaze wandered to the flawless glass.

"Why?" It was all she could manage but he understood that she was asking why he'd brought her to face it.

It was something that needed to be done now, before the baby developed any further. "We need to face the mirror at the same time." He told her gently. "The mirror needs to recognise the DNA of the baby and as it's both part of us…"

Erin suddenly understood, "It'll recognise it when its born." Vlad nodded smiling at her. The mirror needed to accept the baby in preparation for its reflection to be born inside it for when it faced the mirror itself.

"What do I do?" She asked, slightly disconcerted by the fact her refection seemed to be talking to thin air.

"Just touch the mirror." He answered, it was simple. The mirrors were powerful enough to recognise that a joint touch meant a child was on its way. "At the same time as me." He frantically added as he saw her hand shoot towards the mirror. He didn't know what would happen if a non-Dracula touched the mirror on their own and he wasn't eager to find out. Erin's hand hovered in the air, nodding she lowered it – preparing to touch it when he told her to. Vlad reached out and laced his right hand with her left. He gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"You're not going to get thrown in this time are you?" She asked, giving the mirror yet another wary glance.

He chuckled and shook his head, "No." If he did he could easily step back out. "On three. One… two… three…"

He placed his fingers on the cool glass beside Erin's. His fingers ached to lace with hers and a familiar jolt through his fingers.

The surface of the mirror shimmered and swam, her reflection disappearing before re-emerging two or three times. It was unsettling for her to see her own reflection vanished. Her first instinct was to pull her hand away but Vlad shook his head, she needed to keep it there. A marvel of colours swam across the mirror, purples, blues, reds, golds… before it settled on the darkest black. She tried not to recoil. It felt as if she was standing in front of a corridor that had no light. Slowly the black faded into nothing leaving her looking at her reflection once more.

"It's done." He grinned at her, their child was now linked to Vlad's mirror. It was now officially part of the Dracula clan.

"I thought you wouldn't want it to become a vampire." She whispered.

He looked at Erin, "The baby won't survive without the telepathic link to the mirror as it grows. A reflection made a vampire whole, without the link it would only be half a being and the body wouldn't be able to cope. I don't want it to be a vampire but as its half vampire we can't take the risk. I hope it's like you." He smiled at her, stroking her cheek lightly. He didn't want to outlive his son or daughter so he hoped they inherited the immortality that vampires had and not the blood thirsty nature although he knew already without a doubt they would bring it up vegetarian.

"Can we go now, this place is creepy?"

He couldn't help but laugh at her words.

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The foyer was completely deserted by the time they reached it. She didn't have a clue why he'd chosen to take the long route from the basement back to their living quarters and part of her really didn't want to know. She hoped it was that he wanted to go somewhere outside but she didn't really hold out much hope for that.

She let him lead her before he ground to a halt in front of the stairs, twisting her around so she faced the windows.

"What?" Erin asked as she saw a familiar glint in his eyes. She looked behind her trying to see if he was looking at anything over her shoulder. There was nothing there. "Vlad?" She asked quietly. She knew that look of hunger but it wasn't hunger for her blood. "Do you need a drink?"

"No." He answered looking at the still vividly red love bite he'd made on her collar bone the day before. Erin knew what he was thinking and she was surprised he was being this bold. She felt her back come to rest against one of the two posts at the bottom of the stairs. Her while body jolted as she felt the wood beginning to dig into her back. The last time she'd been in this identical position was when…

Her eyes widened at the realisation. There was no denying it.

It was when he'd tried to bite her for the third time.

She thumped his chest pushing him back, "You took advantage of the mirror didn't you!" She snapped at him. She couldn't believe he'd do that, not when they made themselves ill when fighting against each other and the side she knew the most would definitely be fighting to regain control.

"Does it matter?" He asked her quietly. His eyes flicking to her lips then back to her collar bone and once more to her lips.

"Yes it does!" She snapped poking him in the chest, "He lets you be in control often enough and I know it's both of you when we're and making love…" She blushed bright red. He grinned, he loved the way she blushed. She could talk about pregnancy and periods freely but she couldn't talk about them sleeping together. He loved that.

He cupped her cheek and noted that she didn't shrug off his hand, "Does it really matter?"

"It does if when you go back to normal we'll fight about this again!" She wasn't going to take the risk that one side of him would become jealous once more and they'd argue over this. He didn't answer only stepped even closer to her. "VLAD!" She snapped, he sighed and rolled his eyes heavenwards before feeling them magnetically pulled back to her sapphire ones.

"We knew the risks when we took you down there." Vlad smiled at her. "He's letting me be in control – it's better than fighting the power boost." The power boost would naturally die out, it was residual from their merging in the mirror. It gave the reflection more power for a short period.

Erin folded her arms over her chest, challenging him. "You knew and you didn't tell me?"

She knew the answer to that but he was going to humour her. "Because you would've tried to stop us and besides it had to be done." He gave her a quick shrug, "We're fine, it won't hurt. Vlad agrees with me on this." He assured her, Erin still wasn't sure. He stepped back into her space once more, a sly grin on his face. "I'm not going to bite you this time." He teased.

Erin dropped her arms to her side, "You'd better not." She muttered back darkly, she didn't exactly have fond memories of that particular stair post. "How long will this power boost last?" She asked, she wanted to prepare herself for dealing with this side of him being more dominant than usual. He was also supposed to be more diplomatic and with this side of him dominant she knew that would be impossible.

He gave a shrug, "A few days, a week at most, then we'll be back to normal." Erin closed her eyes; she just wished he'd told her first. She wasn't angry at the reflection it was the other Vlad that had angered her. Truthfully it was more annoyance than anger.

"Is this going to happen every time we touch the mirror?" She asked wanting to know, then she flushed as she'd suggested more children as there would be no other reason for them to touch the mirror ever again otherwise.

Vlad blinked as he tried to process her words completely. He eventually nodded, his throat coming out a little hoarse and Erin couldn't help but admire her achievement at once more making this version of Vlad speechless. "Every time."

"You know I'm not saying…"

She didn't have to explain herself, he pressed a finger to her lips, "I know. I love you."

She closed her eyes, as silly as it was she'd missed this side of him saying it. "Love you too."

Vlad lowered his lips to hers, nipping her lip until she gasped and opened her mouth. He slanted his mouth over hers feeling the familiar spark race through him as she responded, meeting his tongue with hers exploring his mouth. Erin's fingers travelled up to his hair, her left twisting and fisting her fingers in it her right gripping his blue shirt tightly in her fingers, creasing the cotton as she surrendered to him.

Without warning he pulled back and she moaned in annoyance. Erin looked up at him her eyes still glazed and her lips red and swollen. He grinned at the sight before lowering his gaze to her dress. Boldness filling him again, he lifted her up letting her legs wrap automatically around him, her ankles locking around his back, he pressed back leaning into her. He leaned down, sucking the skin of her neck with enough force to mark her again. She pushed him back not wanting to get carried away.

"We'll get caught." She hissed, cursing her subconscious for going along with him.

"I don't care." He reached for her dress again.

Erin shook her head with a grin. "You're not normally this bold." She was referring to their location.

"Doesn't mean we haven't thought about it slayer." He answered but 'slayer' wasn't said maliciously, it was as if it was a pet name – full of affection and love. The intensity in his eyes made it hard for her to look away she simply nodded and watched as he grinned.

For the briefest of seconds he considered ripping off the buttons that held the top of her dress closed but he didn't fancy sewing them back on – which he had a feeling she'd make him do – so he settled for unbuttoning it with torturous slowness. She tried to hurry him along but he refused to undo the buttons when she did, holding his fingers motionless in place. He made it more unbearable by pulling back so he wasn't making any contact with her at all.

As it fell open she felt him grinning. He pulled back to look at the skin that was revealed to him. She blushed under his gaze, feeling embarrassed at what he was seeing. Vlad followed the blush as it spread across her cheeks, down her neck and across her chest. She was still wearing her bra but it was the way his eyes were clouded with desire sent shivers down her spine. She couldn't understand how he found her attractive, she didn't think she was anything special but to him she was everything.

Vlad stepped into her personal bubble and pressed her against the post once more. Her fingers travelled to his own buttons, she felt the plastic between her fingers, gently she flicked them undone one by one. Erin let out a moan as his hands began to push her dress downwards, slipping his fingers around her back between her flesh and the post. All rational thought left her for a moment before her hands slipped down to his belt – his shirt could stay she decided. Her warm fingers accidently grazed his stomach and she felt him jump, he didn't pull away so she continued to try to unbuckle his belt, it jangled as she fought to pull it free completely.

"VLADIMIR?!" A roar sounded from the top of the stairs.

They'd been seen.

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Vlad pulled back from Erin as if he'd been burned. Erin turned a petrified shade of snow white almost the same colour as Vlad as she was dropped back down to her feet. She clutched the dress around herself, she knew she didn't have time to button it.

"_I'll deal with Dad."_ He whispered into her mind, he didn't expect her to hear him or for it to even get there in one piece.

He jumped as he felt a response flow into his mind as easily as water in a stream, _"Be careful."_

He searched her eyes, at the very most she should have only been able to receive his thoughts one way – she shouldn't have been able to respond. The hospital – he knew he'd heard her respond hadn't been his imagination as he'd thought it was or even an echo as he'd considered first.

He forgot where he was and what was about to happen. He leaned down and kissed her neck with a hot, open mouthed kiss that sent her heartbeat skyrocketing and a tingle down to her toes. Her eyes closed as he kissed her again this time nipping the flesh lightly with his teeth, her breathing sped up and her face lolled to one side. Her cheek brushed his hair before supporting her weight there.

Erin's eyes were full of confusion as she looked at him, she didn't understand his reaction.

He was sharply yanked away from her by his neck. He winced as he felt the Count's nails did into the flesh there. Erin let out a cry as Vlad accidentally twisted her arm as he was pulled back, the action pinching the skin there and turning it red almost immediately. He shot her a disgusted look at what he'd done unintentionally but she waved it off. He couldn't hurt her intentionally; she knew that more than anyone.

The Count lowered his head to look into Vlad's defiant eyes, he tried to see some emotion in Vlad's eyes but he rarely saw emotion there anymore. Vlad was good at hiding his emotions around his family, only Erin was allowed to see how his son truly felt anymore. It pained him that his son had been forced to hide how he felt around his family in fear they'd use it against him. "What do you think you're doing?"

He deliberately kept his eyes away from Vlad's unbuttoned shirt and unbuckled belt. It angered him at how composed Vlad seemed when his slayer girlfriend was desperately trying to regain control over her breathing behind them.

Before Vlad could answer his father the foyer door banged open leaving a dishevelled and weary figure silhouetted in the doorway.

They spoke only one word.

"Help."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Is there anything you'd like to see in the sequel?_

_Thanks for reading._


	63. There's A Difference

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Sorry for the bitty posts, I'm currently rebuilding my resources and the virus damaged something to do with my internet. Every time I try to upload the modem programme thing (I can handle smart boards and other tech but my home computer is another story) it crashes. I'm using the 3G on my iPad at the moment to upload which unfortunately means I have to type it on there as I have no way to connect the iPad to my laptop which is why it's taken so long to post._

_Unfortunately my next post will be Monday. It's my birthday on Sat and I have family coming over to stay for the weekend so I can't really do anything while they're here, besides my cousin is good with computers so he should be able to sort it._

Chapter 63: There's A Difference

The figure stepped forward; they were covered in scrapes and bruises. A long gash was along his cheek, the dark skin now seeping blood that smeared across his cheek. It looked like he'd been in a fight of some sort.

Vlad tore himself away from his father causing the Count to stumble forwards at the sudden shift.

"I need your help." That's as far as he got before he collapsed to the floor, Vlad only just managed to catch their guest, lowing him gently to the ground. "Mum's in the car, help her." Then Jonno's eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Erin saw the red feathered dart in his leg, with a sharp tug she yanked it out. They knew what it was. It was identical to the one Vlad had buried in him when they'd escaped the Slayer HQ.

"What will that do to slayers?" Vlad asked her softly.

Erin shrugged, "I don't know. You know what happened to you." He nodded; he shivered as he remembered the sensation or lack thereof throughout his body after he'd been shot with the dart.

"Vlad had one of these…" He gestured to the dart. "Things in him?"

Vlad rolled his eyes, Erin watched him carefully. "How do you think I was immobilised?" It came out as a growl at having their conversation interrupted.

Erin knew Vlad would slip and she was fully expecting it very soon. He wouldn't handle being pressured for very long; she wondered how he'd managed to stay hidden for so long before. "It must have a tranquiliser in it." For him to pass out like that there had to be something different in it.

"RENFIELD!" Vlad shouted, his voice echoing down the corridors. Surprisingly Renfield didn't take long to get there, barely a few seconds. He must have been close to the Count.

He looked at the two male Draculas unsure who to address as the senior and settled for addressing them both. "Yes Masters?"

"Take Jonno somewhere then fetch Mina from the car and put her somewhere as well." He spoke slowly. They'd only get answers if they let the slayer rest and Vlad wasn't entirely keen on having the slayers in his home longer than he had to. He wanted to know why he was here and why he was asking for help.

With difficulty Renfield began to heave Jonno upwards to try and move him.

That was all that Vlad saw before everything blurred around him as the Count grabbed his son by the neck and Erin by the shoulder, pulling them as fast as he could from the room.

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The floor creaked as Vlad was thrust forward along with Erin, the dust covered floor making him slip and slide. He managed to catch Erin before she fell and steady her by the forearms.

With his fangs fully lowered he faced the irate face of the Count. "How far have you gone with Erin Vladdy?" The Count couldn't believe he was asking this question of his son *again*. He'd asked him less than a week before about his son's relationship with Erin.

Vlad answered. "That is none of your business."

The Count looked at the breather girl, "Erin?"

"No you don't." Vlad thundered, "You don't get to ask her anything. I gave you your answer; mine and Erin's lives have nothing to do with you anymore."

"If you've done anything you are underage!"

Vlad let out a scoff, "You know that rule's been broken for centuries."

"Never by someone in your position!"

"When I break rules you want me to obey them and when I follow them you want me to break them. It's about time you actually made your mind up."

The Count opened his mouth to speak, but gave up seeing the determined look on his son's face. Vlad wasn't giving anything away and he wasn't going to.

"You told me you hadn't gone…" He gestured with his hands between the two of them, Erin was confused not at the meaning but the motions he was doing with his hands. They were random movements in the air. "That you hadn't had sex." Erin winced at the word that tumbled from the Count's lips, there was something wrong the way he said it. "Do you stand by it?"

Erin didn't know Vlad had been asked before, he hadn't told her.

"Yes." Vlad answered without hesitation and Erin just blinked. Coldness raced through her at how convincing he sounded even to her ears she couldn't detect any hint of a lie in there and that scared her. She thought she knew him.

"Then what was that?"

Vlad answered as quick as a flash. "None of your business."

"You ripped her dress open!"

Vlad looked at the dress in question; Erin had managed to refasten it so she once more looked decent. "I undid the buttons." The Count was growing blacker. "If I ripped it open she'd make me sew it back together, like last time."

If anything would tip him over the edge that comment did. Erin just closed her eyes and flinched at Vlad's words hoping to wake up from this nightmare that wouldn't end.

"LAST TIME?!" He roared. Vlad didn't look remorseful. The Count's mouth opened and closed as he tried to form more words. "Are… are you saying you've done his before?" Vlad didn't break eye contact. "You've just told me that you haven't had sex with her!"

"I HAVEN'T!" Vlad shouted back angrily. Erin wasn't sure she wanted to hear this.

The Count pinched the bridge of his nose trying his hardest to understand what his son was saying. "Then how have you ripped her buttons off before?" Vlad didn't answer. There was no answer. "You looked me in the eye and told me you didn't have sex with Erin! TWICE!"

"I didn't!" Vlad roared back at him, "I didn't have sex with Erin!" Vlad snapped conviction in his voice. It relaxed the Count but he heard Erin's breathing hitch. He'd gone this far he might as well go the whole way. "I made love to her there's a difference!"

The Count hoped his son was joking but there was no clue to that. He saw the way his son's slayer girlfriend trembled. "How is there?"

"Sex sounds cold; making love shows how much I love her." He spoke calmly with passion; his words made Erin melt beside him. She never thought he'd think of it that way. "You want to punish someone you punish me but I don't regret it. It's time you stopped controlling my unlife."

"I'm in control until you're eighteen. Don't ever forget that!" The Count turned away from Vlad, "She's not coming with you, I'm handing her over to the slayers."

Before the Count could move any further a fireball careened past him, scorching his clothing, filling the air with the acrid smell of burning.

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The Count slowly turned to face his son who now had Erin pushed protectively behind him. He couldn't even see his son in the mask the stranger in front of him wore with its soulless black eyes.

The Count's voice wavered as he tried to maintain authority over the situation. "You dare…"

"I dare." He snarled, he would protect Erin and it was about time they listened to that. Vladimir spoke slowly and calmly. "You want to take Erin away from me then I'll go with her. You won't have any of your precious power without me being here." Vlad warned, throwing some of his own cards on the table. There was no way the Count could hold onto his power after his eighteenth birthday without Vlad being present. "Or if you prefer I'll turn you to dust to stop her being taken."

The Count turned his head away in a scoff, until he realised something. Vlad's voice hadn't wavered as he'd spoke it had been cold and emotionless. A perfect monotone that sent chills to the core of him.

The Count shook his head, "You wouldn't."

Vlad tipped his head, Erin half expected him to lick his fangs. "I've almost done it before, do you really want to test it again?"

The Count looked at his son, "Why are you here?"

"That's an improvement on the months it took you before, only half an hour this time. You must be getting better." He grinned maliciously, "I did make it easier on you though."

The Count looked at Erin who he hadn't failed to notice was twitching the whole of the time during the conversation with his son. "How is he here?" He asked stepping into her personal space, at least trying to before her protector stepped in making sure she couldn't be touched.

"He touched the mirror." Erin admitted quietly.

"What were you doing down there?" He looked at the young couple suspiciously and Erin found she wanted to wrap her arms around her stomach from the stabbing glare the Count was throwing at her.

"I thought it needed polishing." Vlad spat at his father, he wasn't going to tell him the truth why he'd touched the mirror.

The Count seeing he wasn't going to get a sensible answer from his son switched back to his sons 'indiscretion'. "She is a slayer."

"She *was* a slayer." He corrected. "You know I've never felt like this about anyone and I really don't care what you think anymore."

"You could have picked amongst your kind if you were going to do something so stupid!"

"I'm sure you're going to have vampiresses lined up the moment I get to Transylvania. I get the final say and I won't even let them through the door."

"You'll only have half the power Vladimir." He stared at his son, disappointment flooding him. "I thought you were smarter than to let lust take over."

"You're talking about lust?" That question was filled with disbelief, "What about Mina Van Helsing? This was never about lust."

The Count wasn't listening, "Breathers are different to us! You probably weren't even her first…"

Thunder rumbled and lightning danced in the room, bouncing across the ceiling, "Neither of us has ever been with anyone else. I know that for a fact Dad." Erin had turned her head and Vlad was angry at her 'honour' being questioned in such a blunt way. "We made the choice together to go further and I won't let you take that away from us," He looked at Erin, "I meant what I said. If I can't have Erin with me then I'll go with her."

The Count didn't know how to respond to his son, mixed emotions were running through him. He needed to think about how to deal with his son. "We'll see about that." The Count growled before leaving the room, thoroughly disgusted with his son.

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Vlad turned to Erin; he wanted her to think of something else. It was something he'd been considering for when his family eventually found out about the two of them. "We can go, just the two of us. We can go and raise the baby…" He ran a hand through his hair.

"I can't be that selfish. I can't do that to your kind, I can't take you away from your family…"

He waved his hand cutting her off. "What about what I want Erin!" Vlad shouted angrily at her. "I don't want to lose you. I want to be with you and I don't care."

"Vlad…" She tried.

"You know I'll give everything up for you." He whispered, he would he never wanted the power and Erin was far more important to him than any of it. "I'm not losing you because of this. It's stupid, I knew the risks. We're both old enough to make our own choices."

Erin shook her head; the Count clearly didn't think he was old enough. "The risks didn't apply when we…"

"I know."

"He'll be angrier when he finds out and you know…"

"If you won't let me give the power up then we can hide it." Vlad told her softly, "It can be hidden until then."

"I don't think it'll work Vlad." Erin answered with a sad smile.

"If we tell them, we tell them after we find out what was done to you and not before." It might help persuade the Count that they weren't entirely to blame for the consequences. "I'll take the blame for it." He promised her.

"I don't want you to." She whispered, "I don't want anyone thinking that we'll only be together because of the baby. You don't have to be with me you know."

Vlad caught her chin and pressed a kiss to her lips, "He's told you already and I'm telling you now, I want to be with you Erin I don't care what other people think. They have their opinions what matters is that we know the truth." He kissed her again this time his lips lingered against hers for a few beats longer.

She pulled back as she heard his stomach growl; she'd forgotten his appetite had increased. She pulled back with a teasing kiss to his lips, crossing the room in long strides. She reached into his cupboard and pulled something out of it.

Erin waved a bottle of soy blood in front of Vlad's face and his lips twitched upwards as he looked at her stomach.

"What?" She hated it when he got that look in his eyes. Then she noticed his gaze flicker to the soy blood. "No." She answered sternly shaking her head. There was no way she was going to do it.

He knew her reaction would be like this, "It'll be healthier for the baby."

"No Vlad." Her eyebrows rose and fell with each word. "I am not drinking that… stuff." Erin wasn't one to swear so her mind became blank as she tried to and ended up finishing lamely.

"You need the vitamins and the baby is half vampire so…" His argument had no comeback that he could think of and apparently neither could she.

He held the bottle out to her and she snatched it off him, nearly yanking his arm from its socket. She pulled a face before taking a long drink. She fought the reflex to gag and swallowed it forcing it down her throat. She felt it sit on her stomach; it felt like it was lead resting there.

It was too rich.

That was about two seconds before she brought it back up. Barely cupping her hands over her mouth to stop it from going everywhere, still it trickled through her fingers. Vlad grasped her gently, looping his left arm underneath her knees and his right around her back, hoisting her upwards before speeding her to the bathroom to help her clean up.

She glared at Vlad through watering eyes. She wanted to wipe them but couldn't with her hands being covered with the soy blood she'd just brought back up.

Her body wasn't accepting the soy blood and in her eyes that was a blessing. She just didn't like the effects.

Vlad lowered her hands from her mouth, not caring that it was going all over him. He'd seen and been covered in worse growing up as a vampire.

Gently he held her hands under the tap and rinsed her fingers before cleaning them gently. "I can do it myself." Erin whispered but she didn't pull away.

A knock on the open door startled them, Vlad's head snapped towards the intruder and he wanted to show his fangs but he resisted. After all his sister didn't know which Vlad it was at the minute and he didn't want to chance anything.

Ingrid looked between them suspiciously; there was something that she couldn't put her finger on.

"Jonno's awake."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	64. Memories

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Okay I've reached a decision… that I need help to decide. _

_I apologise if this sounds rude or cheeky:_

_If enough people want me to write a sequel I will as I'm on the fence about it with everything that's happened. Hacking, viruses etc. If enough people want to see it I will write it. I feel guilty about asking but…_

_Should I write the sequel to this or just give up on it entirely?_

Chapter 64: Memories

Jonno glanced at the couple warily; they seemed perfectly in sync like magnets. When Vlad moved, Erin moved and vice versa. There wasn't a movement out of place.

Vlad looked at him. "This had better be good." He whispered for Erin's ears but was loud enough for Jonno to ear. Erin tutted before rolling her eyes.

Jonno pulled back that wasn't exactly the way he thought the conversation would begin. He looked at Erin but she shook her head and he took that as a sign not to react to his attitude. "I need your help."

"You want our help? A slayer wants help from a vampire?" He scoffed; Erin ground her teeth this was the stubborn side rearing its ugly head.

"I found out why Erin is the way she is!" Jonno told him, letting his only bargaining chip show. Vlad froze, "It's why they're after me… us."

That definitely got Erin's attention. "They're after you?"

"We did some poking around in things we shouldn't. We found out the truth about what happened to her parents." Erin looked at Vlad uncertainly; they had asked Jonno to find this out for them, "It's a secret within the Guild. A secret eighteen years old. They'll do anything to cover it up. I'm a traitor in their eyes they've made charges up against me and mum. They'll stop at nothing to get rid of us in case we reveal the secret. I need your help to deal with them, remove the corruption within the Guild. We didn't even know that they'd tried to take her from the hospital until they returned."

Vlad let out a long snarl, "I should drain your precious Guild for ever touching her…"

Jonno looked taken aback before his expression hardened and he went to jump from the coffin bed thing before realising that he had no feeling in his legs. "If you're going to act like that *vampire* then…"

Erin rolled her eyes and sighed. It was better if she stepped in now before either of them went too far. She needed Jonno to understand why Vlad was acting this way. "Don't listen to him." Erin told Jonno firmly, "He doesn't mean any of it he's just been near the mirror."

Jonno's eyes widened, "He's just transformed?" He blinked as he thought that over; he'd seen Vlad as a full vampire so that wasn't impossible.

"The mirror lets one side of him out and that one side will behave." She spoke firmly, looking at Vlad who chose to look like a child with his hand caught in a cookie jar. She rolled her eyes. "He can be dangerous but unless you cross him his bark is worse than his bite."

"I'm not a werewolf slayer." Vlad hissed at Erin in response to her idiom. Jonno opened his mouth to protest at the way Vlad's tone suddenly changed towards Erin. In response Erin lifted her hand to his cheek, Jonno thought she was going to hit him but instead she cupped his cheek and caressed it with her thumb to Jonno's surprise.

"He just…" He began but was cut off as Erin shook her head.

"He doesn't mean it the way it sounded."

Jonno looked upon her in complete and utter disbelief, "You can tell the difference?" To his ears it sounded as much of an insult as possible yet she was standing there calmly.

She gave the briefest of shrugs, "I know both Vlad's." She grinned at Vlad, "I'm more worried when he shows his fangs." A grin spread across Vlad's face and she narrowed her eyes. The temptation was there for him now she'd said it. She could feel his teeth vibrating as he considered lowering his fangs, she tapped his top lip with her thumb as a warning and the sensation stopped only to be given a 'spoilsport' look from him.

Jonno spoke out loud making a mental note of what she'd said. "Make sure you're in the room when I talk to Vlad, got it." He watched them in part fascination part horror; he honestly couldn't understand her feelings for Vlad. He'd had a crush on Ingrid but even that had eventually repulsed him but Erin was content with Vlad. "Aren't you afraid he'll bite you when he's like that?" Jonno asked, giving her a pointed look and gesturing to his neck.

She looked at Vlad and shook her head, she had been scared not too long ago but she wasn't terrified anymore. "No." She answered truthfully, "I know how to handle him." Anyway she knew he wouldn't hurt her.

Jonno looked at Vlad and something clicked, "Vlad wasn't himself when he hypnotised me was he, that was this version of him?"

Erin gave him a sad smile, "It was this version, this side of him is impatient… and stubborn. He didn't think you'd side with him so he did what he thought he had to, to save all of us." She looked at Vlad and gestured to Jonno with her eyes. He shook his head imperceptivity and her eyes narrowed so she jerked her head harder. He folded his arms over his chest. "The other side of you can so you can too." She growled lowly as a warning, she watched as he melted. "Now."

Vlad rolled his eyes before barely looking at Jonno, more looking over the slayer's hair. "Sorry."

"Properly." She hissed at him.

Jonno wasn't sure Vlad would do what she said as the two were locked in a staring match waiting for their other half to back down. Erin wasn't going to but he was surprised that Vlad did, he visibly slumped and turned towards him. "I'm sorry for hypnotising you, it was wrong."

Erin smiled and kissed his neck, Jonno watched as she knew exactly what that gesture meant. "Thank you. Can we talk to my Vlad?" Erin asked him softly.

"'Your' Vlad?" He asked, a slightly hurt expression crossing his face.

Jonno tried to shrink back into the covers, unsure of what would happen now Erin had 'insulted' this version.

"You know I don't mean anything by it so before you…" Then she realised his expression had a smile underneath it. She nudged him with her shoulder making him grin. Her lips twitched in response, "You're both *my* Vlad but I think of you as the 'other Vlad' when you're both separate people, it's just how I separate you otherwise I get a little… confused."

Vlad lifted his arm letting her slip under it. "I know."

"Can we talk to him?"

He winced, "It'll hurt if you do. It'll hurt to let him have control until this extra power has dissipated even for a few minutes." Erin nodded slowly; she didn't want him hurt – either of them. "What do you want to talk to him about?"

"He's just the more rational one of you both." Erin admitted, this version jumped too quickly to conclusions without thinking things through. Vlad looked at her unsure how to respond because she was right. There was no denying that at all. "If it'll make you ill I don't even want you to try though." She told him fiercely and he nodded. She'd know if he tried it, there was nothing he could keep hidden from her – no matter how hard he tried. "I just want you to listen and not start something either of you will regret. Promise me you'll listen if he can't come forward."

Vlad gave her a warm smile. "I promise."

Jonno yawned he could feel the effects of the immobiliser on him. He didn't realise it would work on slayers as well, although he had a suspicion his had been doctored for use on humans. She knew she had to calm down her boyfriend the Count had worked him up and if they stood a chance she had to prepare him to actually listen.

"Get some rest." Erin told him gently, she looked at Vlad. He was in agreement, they wouldn't get anywhere if Jonno was half asleep they needed him alert..

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Jonno looked unnerved sitting in the coffin but he knew they didn't have anywhere or anything else that resembled a bed that he could rest on. He'd woken a few minutes before and was currently battling through the haze that covered his eyes.

Jonno glanced across to Erin who currently had her head resting on Vlad's shoulder, sound asleep. She looked thoroughly comfortable and peaceful. He could see why Vlad loved her so much. Vlad moved his shoulder a fraction and Erin instantly shifted her head trying to get comfortable once more. Her eyelids fluttered lightly and Vlad twisted his head and muttered something lowly to her, within a few moments she'd still and settled back down into a restful sleep once more. She was getting tired easier with her pregnancy.

Jonno looked at Vlad surprised, "Transylvanian?" Jonno asked, he'd never heard Vlad ever speak any of the Transylvanian dialects before.

Vlad's eyes were sharper, "It calms her." Vlad told him, slipping into a defensive tone, "She doesn't know I speak it to her." Erin wanted to hear him speak it openly but he didn't want to do that. He wasn't as comfortable speaking it with her knowledge. He didn't want to think about Transylvania and the life they'd be forced into so very soon. Vlad reached up a hand and brushed her hair from her eyes.

He heard Erin sigh as Vlad's cool fingers lingered on her warm cheek. He slowly trailed his fingers from her cheek and down her neck.

Suddenly she jolted awake and Vlad pulled back. Her eyes darted around the room for a moment completely unfocussed. Her breathing sped up, she was panicking about something. Out of concern Vlad concentrated and tried to brush his mind against hers to see what was wrong but he found the moment he did she yanked herself away from him and barriers slammed up. It felt as if a door had been slammed in his face and he gasped, recoiling backwards. Erin shouldn't be able to do that to him, no one could. He hadn't been able to touch her mind before but he always assumed that it was out of love and respect for her privacy – perhaps it still was and the pregnancy was making her more receptive to his thoughts.

Jonno watched with interest the scene in front of him, something was spooking Erin.

Vlad recovered as fast as he could and cupped her jaw bringing her face in line with his. She refused to look him in the eyes before conceding. Slowly the manic expression vanished being replaced by a much calmer one.

"What's wrong?" He whispered, stroking her jaw.

She shook her head a gulp talking over as if she was trying to force something down her throat. She ripped herself from his grip. "I'm going to be sick." Then she ran from the room barely keeping it down.

Jonno looked to Vlad, "Is she okay?"

"Just an upset stomach." He lied, it was too easy lying especially like this and he hated it.

Jonno nodded releasing Vlad from being in the room to run after Erin.

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Vlad could hear her retching on the other side of the corridor as he approached the bathroom. He knocked lightly on the door and knew immediately that it had caused her to jump from the bang that could have only been from her knees impacting with the basin of the toilet.

"I hate you seeing me like this." She muttered as she heard him push the door open.

Vlad knelt beside her and pulled her sideways against his chest. He felt her relax despite her words. "I don't care."

Erin shook her head, "It's disgusting."

"You're a slayer that should be disgusting." He muttered in her ear to receive a loud growl and a sharp poke to the stomach that felt more like an elbow than a finger. He kissed her hair lightly becoming more like his personality when he shared with his 'good' half. "Is this because of the baby or because of what just happened?" Vlad asked softly. He wasn't sure whether she'd become stressed and this was how her body was responding or whether it was natural because of her pregnancy.

"I don't know." She answered, rubbing a hand across her wet forehead.

"What did happen Erin?" Vlad asked softly,

She shook her head, it was stupid just an uncomfortable dream. It wasn't even a nightmare, just something uncomfortable that she'd experienced but unlike a nightmare it wasn't fading it lingered at the front of her mind. "It was just something silly Vlad."

"It isn't if you came out here and threw up." He looked at her sharply making her shiver "Tell me."

"Just vampires." She chanced a glance at him, "Turning to dust."

"How?" The one word held a lot of power and she felt herself freeze. He was asking if in her dream she was the reason they were dust. His second worst fear, his first was losing her.

She squinted trying to picture it more clearly, "Something on their heads, bones or something." Vlad froze this time, his muscles tensed but she didn't notice at first her own muscles shaking like a leaf. "Then I was putting them on, I wanted to scream to tell myself to stop but all I could feel was blackness and coldness as my head was scratched and scraped by them. It was if everything was being taken from me, ripped out and I just had to watch and give it up without a fight. It hurt, pain flowing through every muscle like white fire that burned and never faded…"

Vlad spoke without even realising, the words coming out as little more than a whisper. "As you were lifted off the ground…"

"Yeah and…" She trailed off, "How do you..." That's when she saw the raw fury in his eyes.

He felt violated, "They're my thoughts." Vlad snapped at her, "My memories, you shouldn't be even able to touch my mind let alone walk through them." He couldn't believe she'd even done so without him noticing. He always noticed when someone had tried to touch his mind before.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Erin growled before retching barely making it back to the toilet in time. Immediately Vlad felt awful for acting like that – of course she hadn't done it on purpose.

"I know and I'm sorry. I just don't like people prying into my unlife." He fought to keep his voice level.

She pressed her warm forehead against his cool one, "I hate it too. I'm sorry, I don't even know how I did it."

"Maybe the baby?" If it was helping her telepathy one way maybe it was allowing her into his mind. She nodded in agreement, it was his heir so it would be more powerful but it was barely six weeks so she wasn't entirely convinced but there was no other explanation. "What other surprises do you think we'll have?" It came out slightly angrily, she knew how protective he was of his past and she understood that.

"Look I'll share one of my thoughts of you if it'll even us up." She whispered, she could tell he was still angry at having his privacy violated. She hoped that sharing some of her private thoughts would even them up. He looked at her unconvinced. "I've dreamed of you being my knight in dark leather. Tied to the archway as dawn broke, that was the one time I actually dreamed I was a half fang." She chuckled not noticing his startled expression.

His throat went dry, "When did you dream that?" He spoke as calmly as he could.

"Months back. Just after I was locked on the balcony."

It definitely wasn't due to the baby then. Although how he was going to break it to her that he knew the dream he didn't know.

Still there was no point in panicking her until he had more information, unfortunately he was a little too obvious. "Was there a no smoking sign?" He asked quietly. "That you looked at as your feet began to burn?"

"How did you…" Then her eyes widened, "Did you daydream that?" His silence told her everything she needed to know. "You see me as a damsel in distress?" She asked calmly with an edge to it.

"I couldn't control my mind…"

Speaking of his mind, "And the dress was that short?!" A few inches higher and everything would have been exposed.

He defended his mind, "You wore a short dress on our date. Anyway it only seemed shorter because your arms were above your head…"

"And who dreamt that?!"

"You're getting upset over a dress when I've seen you in nothing?" He couldn't believe it. He shook his head slowly.

"You hadn't back then." She growled.

He folded his arms over his chest. "Are you saying you never thought of me in…"

Of course she had when her treacherous mind had wandered usually after she'd seen him returning from training. She used to get transfixed by the sweat that ran from his forehead, to his cheek down his neck and then disappeared underneath his shirt. Erin flushed as she spoke, "Don't change the subject!"

"You have." He smirked and she wanted to wipe that irritating look from his face with the palm of her hand.

Then the source of her outrage spilled over. "You didn't even kiss me!"

"Are you upset about that?" He was baffled. She looked away, her eyes began to sparkle – stupid hormones. "Bertrand woke me up," He admitted softly leaning down to kiss her neck. He knew she wouldn't want him to kiss her properly after being sick. He felt her relax and lean into him. "Jonno has the answers to this. I don't want us to fight over something that isn't our fault."

Erin nodded before allowing him to pull her from the room.

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Jonno jumped high as the door banged open, Vlad stalked in with Erin close behind her hand clutched tightly in his.

"Erin can respond to me telepathically, her blood attacks any transfusion she's given, she heals much faster than any other breather, she's never been ill, she doesn't even smell like a slayer, she's…" He stopped before he gave too much away, "I want to know why the slayers altered her DNA and why the slayers want her so much before I help you." Vlad was growing more and more anxious as he thought of all the traits Erin had displayed.

Jonno nodded, he had the answers to Vlad's question. That was the source of his problem, why the slayers were so desperate to keep it all a secret.

"The slayers didn't do anything to her Vlad." Jonno told him quietly. Vlad's forehead crinkled in confusion and he shared a look with Erin. "You did."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Should I actually write the sequel or just give up on it entirely?_

_Thanks for reading._


	65. IMPORTANT NOTE

I am officially p***** off. (Sorry for my language).

I come back to fanfic after a lovely birthday only to accusations of taking stories from others.

I'm not sure when or if I'll post again.

Why would I take someone else's after everything that happened to me professionally?

I'm in tears typing this and I feel sick at the thought of being accused of it.

Do people take pleasure in making me feel this way?


	66. HELP!

Around this site is being posted annonymous reviews saying people have copied from me. I have had nothing to dowith this.

I can't cope with it anymore I'm sorry.

Its the same review people are being sent and I'm now contacting the authorities to see who is the one sending these reviews.

I can not go on any longer being bullied and used in this way by someone who is giving out personal details about me and threatening me and accusing me all the time of wanting to be someone I never wanted to be.


	67. Key

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_***IMPORTANT PLEASE READ***_

_Thank you for all of your kind words, you have no idea what your support has meant to me._

_A big thank you to everyone I've talked to and who's helped me through this: redrachxo, HopeCoppice, VvvvvV, LiveAndLoveLife, jabifan4eva, becominfamouslaterinlife, Blueie110, BloodBites, Ashlyn-i, MakeBelieveIsLife, AnubisYacker, Werepuppy Black, XxMissJulietxX, , baffledcarcajou1, Binnie-Bunny, Lisa Heidenrich and Charchisto._

_Thank you for looking at those awful reviews I received recently and for listening and believing me throughout it all. Thank you for standing by me to get to the bottom of this._

_I'm so sorry all of you suffered by those horrible reviews being copied and pasted onto your stories by an anonymous reader. I'm sorry you had to experience that._

_The fandom on this site was nearly destroyed thanks to those anonymous reviews. I have been on this site for eight years and never have experienced something like this before. I'm scared not all of the damage can be repaired that was made._

_I have received an apology over all of this and it is under the reviews for this story (under Chapter 1, dated 12/10/12)._

_I would ask that the person who did this, posted anonymous reviews on everyone saying they'd copied from me *apologise* personally to *everyone* they upset. I've apologised for my name being used in all of this. An apology from you is the least they deserve for the pain and hurt they've suffered. It isn't something that will go away overnight especially for the newer writers to the site._

_If this is not possible I would at least like the reviewer to PM me so we can discuss this properly and see if we can come to an understanding over this whole situation._

_Also I would like to ask that you *never* divulge any more personal information about me again. I have *never, never* stated that information publicly, only through PMs or if you know me outside of FFN._

Chapter 65: Key

Vlad stood up sharply; he wasn't going to be blamed for this. He made an effort to leave the room but Erin grabbed his wrist before he could yanking him back towards her. She knew he wanted to leave before he did something he regretted.

"What do you mean 'I did'?" Vlad asked.

Erin was quick to jump to Vlad's defence, trying to stop him from being accused of something that wasn't his fault. "I was like this before Vlad even met me."

Jonno rolled his eyes, not realising the mistake he was making until he saw Vlad's jaw clench firmly shut. "I meant Vlad's kind when I said 'you' not Vlad himself."

Vlad seemed to uncoil a fraction but not enough to make him drop his defences. Erin noticed his fangs protruding and pulled him downwards; he got the message and sat back down next to her but his entire body remained tense.

"What do you mean Vlad's kind?"

Jonno gave a sigh, "I'll start at the beginning." That was slightly sarcastic and Erin didn't need that now of all times. Vlad let out a hiss and Jonno gave him an apologetic look. "Nearly eighteen years ago William and Emily Noble vanished on a mission. They resurfaced eight months later."

"Are you saying they weren't my parents?" Erin asked confused, she couldn't understand what Jonno was trying to say.

He shook his head, he wasn't saying that at all. "During that time the files say your parents were captured. By Vlad's kind."

Vlad wanted to say something unpleasant to that but he restrained himself, instead he settled for: "What else do these files say?"

They'd lied to Erin all those years, how could he trust what Jonno was saying now.

Jonno threw Vlad a glance before focussing on Erin. "They altered your DNA." Jonno told her seriously. "The Guild took you back to their primary base; they wanted to keep you to study you. They wanted to see how you'd changed and whether you'd be a threat to anyone because of what the vampires did to you."

"How did they alter my DNA?" Erin asked, her voice quiet and trembling.

He shook his head earning a tut from Vlad, who in turn received a glare from Erin. "The files don't say."

"I don't believe you." Erin shook her head vehemently. There was no way Vlad's kind would have done anything to her and let her be taken by the Guild. The vampires were stronger than they looked. They would have at least tried to get her back. "They've lied to me for years."

The young slayer looked down before speaking again. "The Guild was trying to protect you from falling back into vampire hands." Jonno whispered.

Vlad snarled at Jonno, "If that was all then why are they after you?"

"Because I don't think everything is explained in the files. I don't think it's the truth." He looked at Vlad, feeling the future Vampire Leader's eyes on him. "We also did a little digging in the files and found things that don't make sense."

"What kinds of things?"

"Reports that contradict each other, dates that don't match…"

If things didn't make sense, Vlad wanted to know one thing. "How do you know they were taken by my kind?"

"Because that is the only thing all the reports agree on." Jonno snapped at him, he hated being asked questions that had simple answers to them.

She didn't care about that at the moment, she needed to know something else. Erin looked at Jonno, "How has my DNA been changed?"

He looked with wide eyes towards Vlad, he thought Vlad would have found that out. Vampire medicine was far more advanced than slayer medicine. "I don't know."

Erin shot up, standing tall. Vlad tried to grab her but she moved to fast for him. "I thought you had the answers?!" Erin snapped at him.

The lights seemed to flicker for the briefest of moments as she raised her voice. Vlad would've thought she was the cause of it if he hadn't known the room was prone to power surges. He was only concerned about the baby being hurt as she grew more and more anxious.

Jonno had thought so too, he thought she knew enough to slot all the pieces together clearly she didn't.

"I thought you'd have found out by now!" And hopefully tell him so he knew why the Guild was so desperate to have turned on him and Mina in case he learned the truth.

"I don't, you said you knew…"

Vlad stood sharply; he wrapped his right arm around her waist and forcefully manoeuvred her from the room.

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He let go of her as soon as he did, she didn't really give him much choice as he felt her hit his hand hard. It was better if he let go now rather than work her up more.

He leaned against the corridor wall as she began to pace back and forth. It was safer for him if he just let her pace until she was ready to talk to him. She moved back and forth, the floorboards squeaking under her weight, he winced as it seemed louder. An irrational part of him mind blaming the increased sound on any weight gain she might be having only six weeks into her pregnancy. He didn't want anyone else noticing she was pregnant so he was becoming paranoid. He shook his head, it only sounded louder because he was more alert than normal.

Eventually after a few minutes she came to a halt, this time for certain after a few false starts to begin with.

She came to stand directly in front of him. "Vlad," She asked him softly, he looked at her nodding. She lifted a hand to his cheek, "I need to know something." Her fingers were slightly curled inwards and he could feel her nails resting on his cheek bones. She didn't mean for her hand to be in that position but she was tense and confused.

"What?" He asked her gently, he would answer if he knew the answer.

"Could your kind have altered my DNA?"

It was impossible, she wouldn't be here if her DNA had been experimented on. "Erin if your parents went missing eight months before you were born they couldn't have. You wouldn't have been able to have any of your DNA changed. You were too young. Think of our baby, any changing of their DNA would kill them. It would be too sudden." She nodded and took a step backward but Vlad grabbed her waist and wrapped his arms around it pulling her back towards him. Erin didn't fight him at all she let herself be pulled back. "My kind couldn't have done this to you."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, there was no way it would have been possible. They would've been far too young and it sounded like the Nobles had gone into hiding to keep them away from the slayers. If the Nobles had wanted the help to undo what the vampires had done they would have gone to the Guild but instead they'd hid. Hid their children away.

Erin let out a deep shaky breath, she reached her arms up and wrapped them around his neck. Holding him tightly, resting her head on his chest. Vlad leaned down and pressed the briefest of kisses to her temple and she sighed. "Anyway vampires would have drained slayers for trying to escape." He sounded too smug with that last sentence so she hit him in the chest – hard. He grinned at her.

Erin shook her head, "Why do you have to ruin it by being so… so…"

She couldn't think of a word so she pulled back and gestured with her hand to his whole body before tapping his retracted fangs.

He closed his eyes before apologising. "I can't help it you know that."

Erin nodded before moving back into his embrace for a few moments trying to put off the reality of what Jonno was saying. Her eyes closed and she wished that none of this had happened. A knot was growing in her chest and she couldn't shake it.

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Jonno looked to Vlad seeing the state Erin was in as she entered the room. Vlad nodded slowly, telling him he could speak to Erin. She was calmer than when she'd left. "Something still happened to your parents." Jonno began slowly. "They disappeared eight months before you were born only to resurface when you were two days old."

For some reason when Jonno said that Vlad understood something. They'd chosen when to disappear and resurface. "They were hiding from you." Vlad realised, "They didn't want the Guild to touch Erin and Ryan." Vlad looked at Jonno, "Their home is empty, they weren't there for a long time before Erin was born. They were keeping the trail cold."

Jonno dismissed that until he realised that Vlad was talking in the present tense. "The Nobles had another home?" Jonno asked surprised.

Erin looked at Vlad before turning towards Jonno, "Another?" Vlad looked at Erin, they thought the Guild had known and had hidden it from them but it looked like they didn't know about the one that they had visited. "Where is…"

"It was sold, seventeen and a half years ago. When Erin's parents died the Guild didn't see any point in keeping it. It would fund Erin and Ryan's training in the Guild so they sold it. They both have what remains of the money in trusts. According to the records the Nobles only had one home. If you found another they kept that place a secret."

"I wonder why." Vlad muttered venomously. There was clearly a reason. He wasn't about to tell Jonno where it was though and Jonno clearly seemed to sense that and reshuffled his expression into one of acceptance.

"If they have another home," The young slayer began reaching into his pockets, withdrawing something small. "Then you might be able to find what this goes to."

He held a small object out to them.

A key.

Maybe he did have all the answers after all.

TBC

_A/N: Thank you for everything._

_Thanks for reading._


	68. Sleepers Awake

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_*PLEASE READ THE NOTE AT THE START OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER*_

_These two chapters I've been trying to post since Monday! I was finally convinced by someone to do so a few hours ago._

_I have been desperate to type the final line of this chapter for the past 65 chapters._

_Please, please let me know what you think about the end of this chapter. _

Chapter 66: Sleepers Awake

Vlad landed quietly and safely in the grounds, reluctantly he let go of her to allow her to step back but laced their fingers as soon as he could.

Erin held his hand just as tightly, moving her fingers until she could grip his tighter. Vlad was thankful he couldn't feel it as much as he would have when he was still mortal; he knew his bones may have fractured from her grip.

He began to lead her inside once more, he felt as if he was pulling a rock along with him; her legs were stiff as he moved her towards the doors. She was coming but he knew she didn't really want to go inside the house. He didn't blame her; it was a home she'd never known. If it was him he'd feel exactly the same way.

His voice was low and soft as he spoke but it still echoes off the silent, cold walls of the empty house. "Where do you want to begin?"

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Hours of searching had produced nothing other than dust caked clothes.

They'd been through every drawer and every cupboard they could find. They'd been in every room they could find and the house wasn't a small house either. They'd pulled things out, shoved things into corners all in the desperation of finding something small that the key could fit into.

Dawn was breaking and Vlad knew that he was confined there until dusk. They had more time to look but he wasn't sure how comfortable he felt in a territory that wasn't his own. He didn't know what dangers lurked for them vampire or slayer wise. He had enough to deal with at the moment on both sides. The curtains had been drawn but it there was a fraction more light through the thin drapes than there had been before Vlad just knew not to go to close to the windows lest he be burned by the light.

He leaned against the wall, trying to think of where else to look. He closed his eyes trying not to look at the cobweb covered ceiling his mind wandering for a moment and noting how much the Count and Renfield would feel at home here. He opened his eyes and trailed them back towards Erin who was sitting on the floor, cradling her head in her hands. He knew she was tired.

Then he caught something out of the corner of his eye.

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Vlad made his way across to the shelves of the bedroom as quick as a flash. It was the one place he hadn't thought to look. He reached upwards debating the best way of reaching it.

"Erin!" Vlad called looking at something. He gently lifted the object up.

Erin forced herself from the ground and onto her feet, her knees cracked as she moved. She felt pins and needles rushing through her legs as she made her way to his side, she shook them hoping to have the sensation disappear by the time he reached him but she knew that wouldn't be the case.

Erin glanced at it, trying to work out what it was. He gently wiped his hand across the top, immediately the dust collected on his fingers and trails of varnish were revealed. The varnish was worn and dull, but the faint shine was proof that it was still there. It was a box, a plain one with the exception of two interlocking roses. They were thornless and embossed in a lighter wood, birch perhaps set in the dark black mahogany. Vlad stretched it out towards her. Erin was reluctant at first but her eyes were drawn to the small lock on the box, too small for a normal key but just the right size for the one she held in her hand.

The key was a perfect fit for the small box. However just because it fit it didn't mean that it would turn.

Erin grimaced as her fingers twisted the small object. The lid snapped upwards, dust rushing outwards. With shaking fingers she gently lifted the lid to expose what was inside. The hinges creaked, stiff with age as they were opened to their full extent.

A soft sound filled the air, the sound of music of a metallic nature, tinkling away slowly. It was amazing that the springs had remained wound for nearly eighteen years. The tune was familiar to her, she knew it from somewhere. It was a common tune 'Sleepers Awake' that's what it was.

Something caught her eye and she withdrew a small object.

"Another crest." Erin whispered, the dim light showing the lining to be red velvet. She passed the crest to Vlad; there were two crests in total then. Both of them were Dracula crests and she couldn't help but admire the intricate detailed work on them.

Vlad turned it over in his hand, this crest was smaller than the other. It was a female crest. What he meant by that was that it was a crest usually worn by a woman, it was smaller so it didn't stand out on their smaller frames.

He understood they might have one crest but it was impossible for them to have two. The key discrepancy was that no member of his clan had been slain by slayers in the last eighteen years. He couldn't understand why she had two. His father knew something but hadn't told him yet, he might have been about to before he caught the pair of them about to… Vlad nearly smiled at the memory before realising where they were.

He saw her begin to shake, emotion welling up in her. He wrapped an arm loosely around her shoulders before noticing something else in the box.

Erin seemed to just be staring at the music box so he reached inside and withdrew the other item. It was yellowed with age and only small but clearly folded down to that size. He gently unfolded the paper, wincing as he tried to do it as delicately as possible to stop it from tearing.

It was a hand written letter.

"Erin." He spoke softly; she jumped startled at him addressing her. She looked into his eyes, silently asking him why he'd made her jump. With his eyes he gestured down to what he held in his hand.

Her eyes cast over the letter, Vlad didn't want to read it he wouldn't violate her privacy.

With shaky fingers she took the letter from him, the sound of age old paper being gripped in her fingers filled the air. She felt her chest tightening in anticipation hoping it held all the answers she needed. She fought not to crease it as her grip increased as she read the note.

The writing was careful and neatly formed, nothing like her own. Hers matched Vlad's in plainness, neither of them had a graceful penmanship unlike the Count's however thankfully they were nothing like Renfield's.

Her eyes moved from left to right as she began to read, the effects of time on the paper making it easier to read with her dyslexia.

"_If you're reading this letter, you've grown up. You and your brother. The Guild would have taken you from us and we know what will happen to us._

_I can always imagine Erin with blonde hair like mine and Ryan with the same colour as your father's..._

_Before we say any more you need to know that we love you and nothing will ever change that. You're twins a rarity amongst the slayers._

_I hope the Guild haven't done what we feared the most and studied you. If we'd known what would happen we would never have…"_

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The letter slipped from her fingers the instant she finished reading it. It fluttered harmlessly to the floor and she just stared at it. Vlad followed it with his eyes but he didn't dare pick it up thinking that he'd be offending her by touching it without her permission from the way she'd reacted to it.

He immediately softened, "What's wrong?"

The thought made her mind blow, it should never have happened. It couldn't be the reason that she was different; she didn't even have those... quirks. Other h… she shook her head cutting off the thoughts that raced through her mind.

"They knew all along."

He was confused. "Knew what?"

"What happened to me and Ryan." She looked up at Vlad, tears spilling down her cheek. She wasn't sure how Vlad would react once he knew the truth. "I don't know how but…"

"But…" He willed her to continue. Something was distressing her, the way she shook her heart rate had increased. He cupped her jaw, relishing in the warm feeling of her skin he trailed his fingers lightly down to her neck. Erin jolted back wrapping her arms around herself.

Vlad dropped his hand to his side seeing the way the actions suddenly seemed to terrify her. She watched him nervously as if she was worried he'd try to touch her that way again.

She slid down to the floor, bringing her legs up to her chin. Resting her closed eyes on her knees, he watched as her whole body shook. He felt powerless watching her, wishing that through his powers he could solve this for her or at the very least make it easier on her. He hated watching her suffer through this.

Vlad knew that she needed him in that moment. He knelt beside her. He pulled her onto his chest, curling her into him. She fought at first before giving in to him, clutching his shirt tightly. Her face buried itself in his shirt; he could hear and feel her heavy sobs and heaves. They seemed to echo off the ceiling of the room before being absorbed by the dust covered furniture instead.

Eventually she lifted her head, he knew his shirt was covered in the mascara that had run from her eyes. She looked like a panda. "According to mum and dad…" She froze again and Vlad waited, letting her speak. He watched as she shuddered and he wished there was some way he could help her with what she'd just found out.

It wasn't a reality. It was a nightmare. Her deepest fear.

Too many things contradicted it. It was impossible for a start.

She was warm!

She had a heartbeat!

She breathed!

She had a reflection!

She could go out in the sunlight!

But it all made sense, in a sick, twisted way. Anyway why would her parents lie to her?

Erin hiccupped as she spoke, the words seeming foreign to speak. "I was born a half fang."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_A few people might have guessed it; I will have a full explanation in the next chapter for how this is possible._

_Thanks for reading._


	69. Letter

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Sorry about not posting, I've been taking some time to get better. I've slept badly since last Monday with the 'reviews' (term used very, very lightly) and everything else that's happened, not to mention recovering from being ill thanks to this whole situation. A few authors encouraged me to recover first and get my health back in order._

_I'm still waiting for everyone to receive personal apologies from the person who did this and so far to my knowledge they haven't. They accepted responsibility on my review list but not all of those authors read this story so they deserve to have an apology on their stories. I've apologised on their stories personally for being accused by this person but they deserve the person who did it to say sorry._

_I hope you don't mind that my posts are still erratic. I'll try everyday starting today but I can't promise it at the moment but I won't leave it for a week at a time anymore now hopefully everything's settled._

_As for my cliff-hanger last chapter… did no one really see it coming?_

Chapter 67: Letter

The first words out of Vlad's lips were a denial: "You can't be."

"I know I can't." She whispered, it didn't make sense. "But I am." That was double dutch if he'd ever heard it.

They were becoming familiar words in their conversations at the moment.

He turned away and ran his hands through his hair but he didn't move away from her, he stayed close. To Erin it spoke volumes that he wasn't rejecting her.

"You are *not* a half fang." He repeated slowly and very carefully.

"Why would my parents lie Vlad?" She questioned him, "I am like you Vlad, I heal like you, I can talk to you telepathically, I don't get sick like other breathers, my blood breaks down breather blood, it fights it like you know a transformation would and probably absorbs it in the same way you do and I don't smell like a slayer. It makes sense Vlad." She began to shake as she fought for him to listen to her. "There are no photographs of mum carrying us. It wasn't because it wasn't that they weren't here. It was because they couldn't have any taken." She told him gesturing to all the walls, "Because back then they didn't have digital cameras, the cameras used mirrors. Vlad there's no other explanation, why don't you believe me?"

"BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BE!" Vlad shouted at her, angrily. "No one can be born a half fang!"

A simple word was her answer. "Why?"

"Because they're created not born. It's impossible to be born a half fang! The pull of loyalty is too much for a start. No two half fangs could ever have a relationship!" He lowered his voice from a shout, he closed his eyes for the briefest of moments and concentrated on calming, "For vampires to be born you need a tie to a Blood Mirror," All vampires needed to face a Blood Mirror. Half fangs didn't have one. "Without one you can't be born." Without that initial telepathic link between a child and a mirror being created they couldn't survive, that was in his mind why Erin couldn't be a vampire.

Erin folded her arms over her chest, "I'm tied to yours now…"

"Not until we're married!" Vlad snapped at her and Erin's jaw went slack. His eyes widened as he said the words, it was the truth though marriage was the only thing that would bind her to his mirror. "We tied the baby to it, not you Erin."

Erin shook her head, "You know I could take that as an insult." She was referring to the way he'd spoken to her more than anything else.

His voice softened, he caressed her knuckles lightly. "I don't mean it as one and it doesn't mean that you can't be tied to it someday." He tried to ignore the awkward tension that circled in the air at that comment. It was something they weren't ready to discuss and wouldn't be for a while no matter how much they loved each other and the fact they were starting a family together.

Erin nodded, completely failing to ignore the implication in his words. She decided to change the subject to steer it away from the mirror but ended up using it as a justification. "Maybe that's why I can be in the sunlight." She suggested. "You lost that when you faced your mirror, I don't have that. I can't lose my reflection. You became a full vampire when you lost yours, I can't lose mine."

He kissed the backs of her hands lightly, "I don't want you to lose it either."

Erin smiled at his actions, before placing his hands on his chest slowly moving her thumbs back and forth. "We know how I'm pregnant now at least."

"It might not be true." He wasn't convinced, it didn't make sense to him at all or rather he didn't want it to make sense to him. A thought occurred to him, one he didn't like to say out loud but he knew he had to. "If you are a…" He didn't want to say it now as his mind battled for him to accept it. "The slayers killed your parents."

Erin dragged her eyes up to his as she understood what he was saying. Her voice was tight and clipped as she whispered: "The ashes in their graves weren't from cremation; it was dust from being slain."

Then Vlad didn't hesitate he pulled her closer.

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Erin didn't know what to think, the slayers that had raised her were the ones who'd killed her parents. They were the reason she and Ryan were wards of the Guild. She didn't want anything to do with that life anymore. The sickness intensified as the realisation that they'd lied to her more and more with tender smiles on their faces as she'd asked about her parents as she'd grown up sank in. She'd missed her parents every day of her life and she fought not to be swallowed by the hate that filled her.

She pulled back from her boyfriend a fraction so she could withdraw the letter that had been inadvertently crumpled between them, hoping that if he read it he'd stop questioning it.

She handed Vlad the letter, he looked at her unsure whether he should actually read it. He wanted to respect her privacy, she hadn't known her parents. She couldn't even remember them. This was the only thing she had directly from them.

She nodded, squeezing his hand it was okay, if its what it took for him to accept it then he needed to do it and she needed to let him. "Read it." He wrapped his left arm more comfortably around him,

"_I hope the Guild haven't done what we feared the most and studied you. If we'd known what would happen we would never have accepted that mission._

_It was supposed to be a routine slay but the intel was wrong. The building was supposed to only be inhabited by one vampire but it wasn't what we'd been led to believe. There were children there, a school of children, your father and I were bitten when we hesitated to hurt them, we couldn't harm children. Your father slew the vampire when I was bitten, he hoped it would stop the curse but it didn't. It only prevented us from becoming loyal. She was the only vampire of that bloodline; we only had to kill one vampire no more._

_We didn't know about you until a few weeks after. I want you to understand that we never once thought about getting rid of you. It might have been selfish but we couldn't lose either of you._

_You were going to be born vampires, the first ones to two half fangs. You wouldn't be normal like the rest of their kind, you would have different traits but we didn't know what they'd be and if you're reading this then we never did find out._

_We hid from the Guild, we knew that they'd want you to study, there was no way we could hide what we were becoming and had become from them. With you they would have what they always wanted and failed to do, combined specimens to see if the bloodlust could be bred from vampires._

_We searched for a cure; we wanted you to have a normal life. A life away from slayers. When we couldn't find one we made arrangements. While vampires had done this to us we wanted to make sure you could be protected if anything happened to us. We made an arrangement with a powerful clan; they saw the importance of keeping you safe and agreed to raise you should anything happen to us. I know that you don't consider vampires as willing to accept you, this had never happened before they wanted to protect themselves. _

_You were the first half fangs ever to be born and that makes you special, don't let anyone tell you otherwise._

_We love you both very much and we hope that you can forgive us for this ever happening. Don't blame the vampires, we attacked them, they retaliated in the only way they knew how to, to protect their children. If this is anyone's fault it is ours._

_We hope you can have everything you ever wanted and hope you both can find someone that will accept who and what you are._

_We love you, our children."_

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Vlad stared at the letter, unsure what to say, it seemed so definite so final that he couldn't dispute it. Although there was one thing he could try, just in a last attempt to deny it. "It could be a fake." He suggested, scrutinising the paper looking for any signs of forgery. "Do you know what your mum's handwriting looked like?" She shook her head, she'd never seen any samples of their writing and all of their reports had been typed on a typewriter. "Then anyone could have written it."

"I'm pregnant Vlad, with your child. You can accept that but not me being born a half fang."

"You're not a half fang." He told her angrily; he wouldn't accept her being a half fang. She wasn't condemned like him.

"What would you call it?"

"My parents were bitten; mum was carrying me and Ryan. You know the biting enzyme would have been passed to us."

"I know, but I wouldn't say you're a half fang."

"What would you call it? I'm like you, almost. The only word is a half fang."

"A mistake then?!" He snapped at her, hurt flared across her face and reverberated in her eyes. He immediately felt guilty, "I didn't mean…"

Erin nodded, "You did." She didn't withdraw though, "We are mistakes." They weren't intentionally created, there was no denying that at all and he'd simply spoken the truth. She knew how frank and honest this side of him could be and she'd forgotten that momentarily. "Does that change how you feel about me?" She whispered, scrunching her eyes up. She couldn't bear it if he hated her now, he never wanted her to become this.

Vlad caught her lips with his, kissing the doubt from them. Her eyes flew open at his tender contact, "No. I never wanted this for you and it might take me a while to get my head around it." He wasn't going to lie to her, "But I love you, and that won't change now we know the truth. Like you said, we know how you're pregnant and we know how it's going to progress now." They didn't have to be scared of anything happening now. That was a weight from his chest at least. "The only thing I don't understand is if you're a half fangs, why did Ingrid have to bite Ryan to give him the vampire powers?" He asked her pointedly.

"Maybe Ingrid's bite had to finish the job." Erin muttered. "Maybe there was is a balance between our vampire and human DNA and her bite gave him what it needed to win." She looked down. "But it doesn't explain why she became ill from drinking his blood."

"Maybe because she took so much blood, a bite is just a bite; a small amount of blood is taken a pint at the most. Ingrid didn't mean for Ryan to transform. If your blood attacks breather blood maybe it attacks vampire blood as well. Her systems were shutting down like an infection in humans."

"The files weren't about getting creating a half vampire half human child to breed the blood lust out of, they already had us." She closed her eyes, "How much do you think they already know about us? They've had nearly eighteen years and what they could do to your kind…"

"Shh." Vlad whispered, he didn't want her getting herself worked up over this. "You didn't know, they hid it from you so you wouldn't know. It's not your fault."

Erin didn't believe that, there was something she could have done to make it easier. "We should have dug deeper…"

Vlad didn't want that, he shook his head frantically. "They attacked Jonno and Mina; they would have done the same to you. They might have even killed you." He didn't doubt that, no matter the fact Erin was raised by them she still was something they hated. "Dad knew something from the way he looked at his crest. Maybe it's time we found out what Dad knows."

"Vlad how do you know he'll tell you?"

His voice had a dangerous edge to it. "Oh he'll tell me everything."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	70. Limbo

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I hope no one minds the length of this story it's got a life of its own at the moment. I didn't know whether to include the sequel as part of this story without starting a new one then write a 'sequel' that keeps haunting me set in the future. It would tie very nicely into this story._

_With everything that's happened lately I haven't really had much time to decide._

_Please let me know what you think about the explanation. I spent hours trying to write it. Strangely it was the first thing that came to me about this story._

Chapter 68: Limbo

Erin winced as Vlad stormed down the corridors, she didn't like the way his feet slammed against the floor with every step. He was in a foul mood and she knew that there was very little she could do to get him out of it when this side of him was in control.

His mood had seemed fine when they'd left Ireland but he'd had time to brood and think which wasn't really a good combination and it resulted in this. She wasn't sure as well if it was all in an effort to get his father to tell him the truth – she'd know the moment she heard him speak.

He lifted his arm lazily and the door to the throne room flew off its hinges, slamming across the room. It hit the other wall and splintered in half. Part of it ended impaled in the wall, sticking out at sixty degrees as if it were a giant stake.

Everyone in the throne room stared transfixed at the young irate vampire as the dust that Vlad had disturbed when he blew the door from its hinges swirled frantically before beginning to settle once more.

It was comical the way Erin peered over his shoulder, offering an apology to everyone in her room from the way her face was arranged. The simply stared back at her, not amused.

Vlad simply hovered in the door, not shirking everyone's surprised gaze, his eyes swept the room slowly. Ingrid had been clearly reading and Bertrand was well, hovering and eating something that looked suspiciously breather like from the way his fork was positioned, Renfield was hanging more cobwebs, Wolfie was drawing – completely oblivious to his brother's mood – and the Count was staring at his son over his copy of Vampire Times. He was glad neither Jonno nor Mina was in the room, he wasn't sure how they'd respond to their 'discovery' just yet. They'd tell them in their own time.

Vlad had gotten everyone's' attention and that was what he'd wanted.

The youngest Dracula sped across the room to stand directly in front of his father, casting a shadow over him. "You knew didn't you?!" Vlad snapped at his father, "You knew what Erin was, that's why you wanted rid of her so badly." Yes, he was definitely not putting it on. His accent had broadened with his anger, becoming thicker than Erin had ever heard it.

"I don't know what you mean."

Vlad's eyes turned red and the fire burned higher and hotter than ever before. It roared in the grate illuminating the room even more. "You knew Erin was born a half fang!"

"Someone needs their head seeing to." A mutter came from behind them and Vlad spun towards Ingrid, an icy chill raced towards her and she shivered. Not through the drop in temperature but through the suggestion of it instead.

The Count's eyes widened as he looked at the young couple. He didn't think Vlad would ever find out and he wasn't sure he really ever wanted him too. He didn't want his soon too attached to the young slayer, now Vlad knew the final step in their relationship would be inevitable. "I didn't know at first…"

Vlad cut him off completely, lightening crackled and flashed in the air and Erin jumped, "But you knew."

The Count hadn't known for long but Vlad's safety had been his priority. "I was trying to protect you." The Count snarled at his son, why couldn't Vlad see that he was trying his best to look after him?

"Protect me? You've said that too many times. You protect me by turning me into this!" He gestured to himself. "If Erin wasn't here then you wouldn't be here either."

"Vladimir…"

Vlad's temper spiked and the light bulb behind them exploded, the only person who didn't duck was Erin. She really must be losing her scare reflex with him. "Don't you dare say 'Vladimir'. You have half of my power through threatening to hand Erin over. If she is a half fang she's under our protection, handing her over would be treason to our kind."

The Count shook his head frantically, "She goes against everything our kind is!"

"*She* is my girlfriend and if you harm her I can charge you with vampicide and I will." His last words were spoken through gritted teeth.

The Count had an answer to that, one his son had just given him. "Speaking of vampicide, she killed a fellow half fang."

"It was an accident!" Vlad snapped before realising that he'd never shared what had happened with his family.

The Count shook his head, as Regent he had the final decision – for the moment. "It was still murder."

"Then we're all guilty of it for killing Sethius, do you really want me to issue a mass execution when I take over?"

The Count gave a long sigh, the sigh of the defeated. He fixed a piercing gaze on Erin who snapped to attention. "How long until we have our Vlad back?"

"A couple more days." She admitted, repeating what Vlad had told her. The Count rubbed his temples feeling the headache that was pounding through his mind like a hammer. Erin doubted that the other Vlad would act any different though. The Count rubbed his temples, trying to think around this. "She betrayed the kind that had raised her!" The Count wouldn't accept that betrayal no matter what. Vlad hated being a vampire but he'd never once dreamed of betraying them the way Erin had betrayed the Guild.

His arms flailed wildly, "To save her true kind! To save me!"

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Bertrand move but it wasn't a move to protect the Count as she first thought it was a move to protect her and Vlad.

Erin stepped behind him, taking care not to place herself in the middle, she reached up and brushed the back of her hand across his neck. She sensed some of the tension leave him, his muscles became relaxed under her tender touch. "Vlad." She whispered his name lightly and he gave her a brief look.

His next words were clipped but calmer, his accent had thinned almost back to normal. "Erin has done more to protect me than you ever have."

The Count fixed his gaze on the woman in question, "She's also hurt you more than we ever have." Erin bristled and made an effort to step backwards. He grabbed her hand and laced their fingers before she could pull away completely, he drew her to his side.

"I've hurt her just as much," Vlad told them quietly. "I'm not going to hurt her again."

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"How long have you known?" Vlad muttered through gritted teeth.

"Since you gave me that crest." The Count told his son seriously. "No slayer has had our crest in hundreds of years."

Vlad narrowed his eyes at his father, he could feel static crackling in his palms as he wanted to throw a lightning bolt or something towards him. He wasn't sure he could resist if he was lied to. "The how did Erin's parents end up with it?"

The Count looked at Vlad seriously. "I gave it to them."

Vlad scoffed before turning his head away from his father, "It's the truth Vladimir."

"And you haven't lied to me before?" Vlad distinctly remembered yellow eyes. The Count shook his head. "We were the clan their parents struck a deal with?"

The Count nodded, confirming what his son said. "We were supposed to protect them," The Count looked across at Erin. She looked down, "She would have been a ward of the Draculas not of the Guild, if we'd brought her up then…" He trailed off looking the other way.

"Then what?" Vlad questioned.

"Then she might have been suitable for you." The Count looked at Erin who was shaking in the corner, it wasn't out of fear it was out of trying to take in everything that they'd said so far.

Vlad looked at Erin, if his father was right he would have grown up with her.

Erin couldn't understand one thing, "Why did they come to you?"

"They knew that you would be the Chosen One…"

"Kurt knew that too." Ingrid muttered remembering the slayer that had come to Stokely to specifically look for the Chosen One, the slayer who had murdered Will. Perhaps they'd followed the Nobles' trail and discovered what they had and that was how the Guild knew about Vlad.

The Count gave Ingrid the dirtiest look for cutting him off in mid flow, Ingrid turned to him and mouthed 'sorry' but she didn't look very apologetic at all.

"They wanted our protection, they knew what would happen if the slayers got their hands on her. They wanted us to look after their spawn." Bertrand and Ingrid watched the conversation with interest, their heads moving back and forth like they were watching tennis.

"Erin isn't spawn!" Vlad snarled, no one could refer to her like that.

The Count was surprised at his son's reaction. "I call you my spawn, it isn't an insult!" Vlad absorbed what he'd said but there was still something insulting in the way he'd said it. "But how do we know that she is that child?!" The Count asked his son firmly, gesturing dismissively towards Erin. "How do we know she's not lying?"

Erin froze at the accusation; she should have known that that would be an issue. She growled and Vlad hid the smirk at the thought she really was like a vampire in that moment. Erin knew how to settle it and she knew Vlad wouldn't like it but it was the only way. "Let's settle this right now." Erin snapped at them all. "I want Renfield to check my DNA." She saw Vlad was about to protest and she knew why but in that moment she didn't care. "You are letting me do it as well!" She told him sharply.

They seemed surprised at the way this side of him backed down, the pain slightly reduced in his face at the memories Erin's decision had provoked. "You don't' have to prove anything to me." Vlad told her quietly.

Erin gestured with her hand towards Bertrand, Ingrid and the Count. "But I have to prove it to them."

Bertrand looked slightly insulted at her remark and she couldn't help the apologetic look that crossed her face towards him. He nodded stiffly before moving towards them again, showing he supported Vlad and Erin. There was a reason Erin was pregnant and as ridiculous as it sounded it made perfect sense.

"Renfield will lie…"

"He'd better not." Erin snapped at Renfield, fixing a penetrating gaze on him, "Or I'll ask Jonno and Mina to check." She was bluffing but it made all the vampires gulp in the room.

Renfield nodded, he wouldn't lie if Erin did ask the slayers to check there was no telling the kind of retaliation they might wreak on them all.

"What do you need?"

"Just a DNA sample?"

Erin had to voice her question, she didn't want them to find out about the baby. It was one of Vlad's fears as well. "No blood sample?" Bertrand's head snapped up and he looked between Vlad and Erin who wore matching expressions of panic, dreading Renfield's answer. Ingrid watched them with interest, especially Bertrand who seemed to be privy to their silent conversation.

"Not yet."

Not yet would have to do she supposed.

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The moment Erin and Vlad left the room to follow Renfield, Bertrand tried to leave as well. Ingrid knew he'd noticed her interested look. He was trying to get out of sharing something. She managed to chase him down the corridor before her energy began to drain. His four hundred years had the advantage of endurance.

"What do you know?" Ingrid asked, grabbing Bertrand's shoulder, startling him. In a flash he'd grabbed her arm, and spun until it was twisted behind her back painfully. Ingrid let out a startled gasp of pain. Bertrand shook his head and released her stepping backwards as if he'd only just realised who he'd attacked.

"Sorry I…"

"I shouldn't have grabbed you." Ingrid muttered out, rubbing her wrist. It wasn't very painful it was just an echo of surprise. She looked at him, "What do you know?"

She wasn't asking directly about Erin's 'condition' so he didn't have to confirm or deny anything. "It's not my secret to tell."

"That's never stopped you before."

"I lied about the 'secrets' before." He answered watching the smirk cross her face at his admission before it died to a wince. He tenderly took her wrist with more care than she'd ever seen him do in anything, carefully he rubbed the sore points. Ingrid gasped at first as he manipulated her wrist, soon the feeling vanished and she looked at him in surprise. "I've had centuries to deal with injuries."

Ingrid reached up with her right hand and slipped it around his neck, "I know we said nothing until you got your lands back but…" She finished her sentence off with a soft kiss. As soon as their lips brushed the kiss changed, it wasn't gentle as it wasn't in their natures to be gentle. Bertrand pulled her close, his grip pinching at her side but she didn't care as she dug her fingers into his scalp. "I love you not Will. I don't care about land or titles. I want you."

Bertrand grinned at her actions, in that moment she was vulnerable and it warmed him to know that she was willing to show that side of herself to him. "I'm still not telling you." He answered, he knew what she was up to.

Ingrid rolled her eyes and let out a groan of annoyance. "I wasn't just saying that to…"

He cut her off with a quick, firm kiss. "I know."

"But if I find out what it is, you won't know the meaning of a stake."

Bertrand smirked at her, he was challenging her. "What are you going to do?"

Ingrid stepped closer to him, a faint smile gracing her lips as she whispered into his ear. "Something worse than you could possibly imagine."

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Renfield raced around the room, something was burning or at least there was the stench of burning but not a single vampire could identify what it was.

Vlad stood behind Erin, tracing idle patterns on her stomach. Her fingers moved with his joining in his gentle touch. She was leaned back against him, the back of her head resting on his chest. Her heart was racing as she waited for an answer. She wasn't sure what she wanted the answer to be. Half of her wanted it to be positive so she knew why the slayers were after her and it would offer an explanation for everything that had happened lately. The other half of her didn't want it she was terrified of being a vampire, she could live with them and date them but the slayers had instilled a fear in her that she couldn't shake and she doubted she ever would.

Vlad was nudged sharply by Bertrand drawing a sharp hiss from him. Erin grabbed Vlad's wrists and held them in a vice like grip to stop him from releasing her and spinning around to snap at Bertrand to bring more attention to them.

Bertrand gave her a quick grateful nod and she nodded back. Bertrand then tipped his head and gestured to their joined hands with his eyes and a stern expression. Vlad met his piercing gaze with a commanding one of his own and Bertrand did back down slightly, his eyes flickering away from Vlad a few times. Erin pinched Vlad, telling him that Bertrand did have a point. He reluctantly sighed and moved his hands to her hips well away from her stomach.

Bertrand would have asked them telepathically but he knew Vlad's mind would be blocked and he didn't know if Erin could receive the telepathy from him.

Ingrid watched the scene with curiosity; Bertrand really did know more than he was letting on. Bertrand turned to look at her questioning gaze and he shrugged, shaking it off. Her eyes narrowed but she knew he wouldn't answer her – not yet anyway.

The banging and clanking and clinking stopped from Renfield's direction and they turned towards him standing there waiting for them all to listen. His face had a mixture of achievement and sympathy on it.

"She has got vampire DNA." Renfield confirmed. "Mistress Erin is a half fang but the bite didn't transform her completely." Vlad's face dropped to Erin's hair, he was relieved it had been confirmed but at the same time horrified that it had.

Erin spoke, her voice shaking. "What does that mean?"

"Why didn't it kill her the sudden change?" Vlad asked earning a jab in the ribs from Erin as he spoke at the same time.

Renfield looked between them before deciding on answering the more deadly vampire's question. "She couldn't have changed straight away, transformation can take months. If it did during that time Mistress Erin would develop at a human rate. When her mother was bitten the foetuses must have been developing as they grew and the bite adapted with them. She's like you were Master Vlad. Her DNA is almost identical to a vampire child before they face a mirror."

Ingrid raised her finger, she did feel sorry for Erin. She was stuck in a kind of limbo. "Why didn't she change to be like us at sixteen?"

"Vampires who are born need to face a Blood Mirror or they never transform. Mistress Erin doesn't have one to face so she'll never become a vampire in the sense you are Master Vlad." Erin stepped away from Vlad, some relief filling her. He let her go, contact would only hinder her thinking.

This was becoming confusion, Erin was a vampire but she wasn't at the same time.

Ingrid stepped forward, a hand in the air. "Her brother is a vampire; he has the powers of one."

"You bit him. The enzymes in the bite would have given his vampire side what it needed to defeat the human side completely." Renfield looked at Vlad, "I will need a sample of Mistress Erin's blood to see the extent to which her blood attacks any transfusion and how it affected you mistress Ingrid. It might hold some more answers." Vlad suddenly had a vision of the poison blood his father had nearly drank five years before, he hoped there wasn't a link there.

Erin looked at Vlad, he could answer this one. His eyes narrowed at her passing the buck to him. He nodded in a sarcastic 'thank you'. "Later." He answered, he couldn't think of a decent excuse on the spot. He'd come to accept it since she told him but having it confirmed scientifically was something else.

"Do you want me to tell Dad?" Ingrid offered softly. Vlad looked at his sister, he couldn't get used to this slightly 'nicer' Ingrid.

He didn't even think about confirming it with the Count. "No." He spoke quietly, "I'll do it." He didn't want his father plotting.

"There's something you should know Master Vlad." Renfield had debated telling Vlad this but the young master deserved to know. "It's about your future with her." He didn't really want to say it with Ingrid in the room but the female vampire wouldn't leave the young master for some reason.

Vlad was stern in his answer, "I'm not leaving her." He wasn't going to go through that with Renfield as well. Renfield had the least say in his life.

Renfield looked at the young master; he didn't have any traces of a lie on his face. He knew too well what this side of Vlad would do if he was lied to and he didn't want to experience that. "Mistress Erin should be involved in this…"

"She will be." He turned around to look at Erin but met thin air, she wasn't in the room. "Where's Erin?"

"It's about her DNA." Renfield continued, not noticing Vlad searching for Erin with his eyes. His next words certainly drew Vlad's attention back to him. "Because you might not have a future with her."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Any help on deciding about the sequel thing would be greatly appreciated._

_Thanks for reading._


	71. Sounding Board

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I had a senior moment last night. I uploaded the documents but didn't upload them onto the story. Sorry about that. I'm actually quite glad in one way because I ended up rewriting these chapters almost entirely as I wasn't completely happy with them._

_I think I'm happy with them now._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 69: Sounding Board

"What?" Vlad looked at Renfield.

Renfield looked at Vlad, "I think it's better if Mistress Erin were here as well."

"I want to know what you meant before I even think about letting her hear this." Vlad told the clan manservant sternly.

"She needs to hear it as well." Renfield did his best not to cower under the most powerful vampire's gaze but he still felt himself trembling.

Vlad narrowed his eyes waiting for Renfield to cave when he didn't he decided that it would be better if he fetched Erin. Renfield wasn't going to tell him what he meant by having 'no future with her' without Erin present. His first thought had been to protect Erin from what Renfield was going to say, assuming it to be some prejudiced comment but for Renfield to hold back he knew it was far more serious.

He stood back before speeding off to find Erin, leaving Ingrid and Bertrand alone with Renfield.

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Vlad found Erin standing in the middle of the courtyard, looking upwards towards the sun. He envied her in that moment, she could do everything he wanted to do. She was standing there because this was her way of being left alone.

"Erin?" He called and he watched as she bristled. She shook her head, she didn't want to face him, not now. It had been better when it was an idea in her head, she didn't realise how much it would affect her when it was actually confirmed scientifically.

"Leave me alone." She whispered knowing he would hear every word she said.

Vlad knew she wouldn't be able to deal with this on her own, "I'm not going anywhere." He answered, deliberately firm and loud so she couldn't pretend that she didn't hear. His voice carried on the gentle breeze. He watched as she hugged herself tighter.

He knew she wouldn't come to him so he'd go to her. He looked up at the sky, the sun wasn't at its peak. He knew this would burn but he didn't want her to ignore him. He wanted to help her through this, he wanted her to shout at him if she needed it. He was willing to be her sounding board.

He let out a frustrated sigh. "If you don't come here, I'll come to you."

"You wouldn't be that stupid." Erin muttered deliberately making it loud for him to hear without even him having to use his sensitive hearing.

Vlad grinned, "I've done it before." He reminded her. It seemed to make her freeze as she realised he was telling the truth. He would be that 'stupid' again, anything to help her. Erin still didn't turn. "Fine!" He called.

Vlad took a step towards her, stepping out of the safety of the shadows and into the sunlight.

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Before he could blink he was slammed back against the wall. He looked down to see the irate face of Erin glaring up at him.

She hit him in the chest. "You stupid idiot!" She snapped at him, he didn't think she could move that fast. She clearly hadn't sped, time must have passed slower than he thought as he built up the courage to step into the light.

"It worked then." He muttered with an irritating sly smile.

She checked him over, making sure he wasn't burning anywhere she couldn't see, resisting the urge to hit him again. Her eyes played tricks on her a few times, making her believe she could see smoke. "What worked?!"

"At least I can see your face now and you're talking to me." He answered with a grin.

She narrowed her eyes and shrugged in disbelief, "You were going to get burned!" She growled.

"I wanted you to talk to me." He shrugged.

Erin let out a frustrated growl, "I wanted to be left alone." She punctured each word with the opening and clenching of her fist.

He was going to tell her exactly why he wasn't going to leave her alone. "When you're left alone for too long you get snappy and then do something stupid."

Erin immediately pulled back, protesting, "I don't get snappy."

He let out a laugh, "You do." He answered, "You start talking softly then by the end of it you start to snap. Then you calm down and do something stupid."

She raised her eyebrows. "When did I last snap and then do something stupid?"

He gave her a cynical expression, "The one that comes to mind?" He asked and she nodded, he had a wonderful example of that. "The book, filling it up with your blood and getting caught by Bertrand."

Erin couldn't believe the one he'd come up with, "There was a reason behind that." She looked away; it had been stupid to do it without him knowing and without knowing all the facts, especially after everything that it had later led to.

He stroked her cheek, he ignored the dull pang that those memories still brought. "I know but it was still stupid." She stamped her foot childishly making him laugh more. "I love you and I will help you through this."

Erin looked down, "How can you help me through this? You were born a true vampire I'm a mistake Vlad. I don't even know what culture I belong to." She was using him as a sounding board already and he couldn't be happier that she was able to talk about this with him.

Vlad didn't hesitate, there was barely a pause between the end of her words and the start of the next, "Mine." Erin shook her head but she couldn't speak, "We have a baby on the way, one that will be three quarters vampire. You're part of my unlife Erin, which culture do you want to be part of?"

"I didn't want to be part of slayer culture, but I don't know if I want to be part of vampire culture." She thought her words would hurt him but they didn't, he didn't exactly want to be part of vampire culture either. Vlad mentally counted to ten, she was holding back an explosion. He reached nine when she eventually broke. "I can't do this, I can't be a vampire!" She flailed her arms around, "I don't know anything about your kind other than how to kill you. I know nothing of vampire history; I don't even know your customs. I'll just embarrass you more…"

Vlad pressed a finger to her lips then, she was working herself up into a stupor. Erin moved her lips beneath his finger but he gave her a stern look and she nodded, completely giving up. "I didn't know much until Bertrand came and taught me, I didn't want to learn." He moved his finger slowly, her dry lips sticking to his finger as he pulled it away. "He'll teach you." He whispered, "You're the mother of my heir, official or not you'll be my consort in my culture's eyes." The word 'girlfriend' had no direct translation in his language, the closest would be that to betrothed, consort or wife. Vampires didn't really 'date', they had Hunt Balls and picked a wife from there or they were arranged. "If there's anything Bertrand hates it's when people don't know anything about our culture. He'll be desperate to teach you. Either him or Gran."

"Bertrand." Erin answered without hesitation; she didn't really want to face the Westenra matriarch after meeting Vlad's mother.

Vlad laughed and watched as some of the tension left her after that quick answer. He now had her relaxed so he was going to ask her something he wouldn't normally ask her under other circumstances.

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Vlad caught her face in his hands, making her look at him. "What terrifies you about being a vampire?" He asked quietly.

"Nothing." She muttered and they both knew that was a lie out and out.

He looked down at her firmly, drawing out her name slowly, "Erin…"

She gave a sigh and rolled her eyes before looking down at her feet, finding the laces on her shoes interesting. "That I'll change like Ryan." She whispered, "I don't want to change. I want to be me." His face softened and he pulled her closer, she turned her head to rest it on his shoulder, "You've changed."

There was no denying he was different now, he was more confident and more confrontational than he'd ever been before but he was still the man she'd fallen in love with. She loved both halves of him no matter how much one side could irritate her to no end. She was terrified as well that he wouldn't be able to love her if she changed.

"I know. I'm not scared of it anymore." He answered, that was obvious now. He didn't let it bother him.

"Because you didn't have a choice."

He pushed her back, "No I didn't but it didn't change how I feel about you." Vlad cupped her cheeks, "And it won't." He drew them back a few lines in their conversation, "I said before Erin, you wouldn't change because you'd be ready for it. Half fangs who aren't ready let the bite consume them, you will know to fight it." She knew what she would be facing, just like he had.

"What about the loyalty of the bite?" Erin muttered, "Ingrid turned Ryan, won't it happen to me? I'll become loyal to you."

Vlad hadn't really thought about that at all, he didn't really want to consider it. "I don't know." He needed to find a way to stop that from happening if he ever turned her and at the moment he didn't know how to. "There has to be a way around it somehow." Maybe there wasn't a way out of becoming a vampire but perhaps there was a way around this. "Do you feel any different now you know?" Vlad asked her quietly, he tipped his head to one side as he asked the question, successfully managing to divert it from her fears.

Erin shook her head, it was strange she felt more at peace, more calm and relaxed now she knew. "I don't feel proud of it, although I thought I might." Vlad gave her a confused look, "I thought some part of me might feel proud to be a vampire but I don't." The Count, Ingrid and Bertrand seemed proud of being a vampire.

He understood, "Like Scots feel proud to be Scottish and the Welsh to be Welsh?" She nodded. "I'm not proud of what I am." He admitted quietly. Erin tipped her head, challenging that comment from him and he shrugged, "I'm not. I deal with it even now, like this. You'll cope too."

"I don't think I will Vlad, I was a useless slayer I'll be a worse vampire." She answered; she didn't want to let him down. Everyone would watch her like a hawk when they found out what she was.

He didn't believe that, she couldn't be that bad. He was a terrible vampire and she could never be like that. His kind would be made to understand that this wasn't her fault. He'd make sure it was known that the slayers took her and misguided her. He wouldn't let anyone insult her in his presence. "You won't." He kissed her gently.

"They killed my parents Vlad, they took my childhood away from me to mould me and use me as a weapon and as a test subject. I should have grown up with you then…" She bit her lip as she felt tears stinging to be let free. "I want my life back, I want what they took from me. I didn't want this but if I'd known…"

"Then you might have found it easier to accept?" He asked her softly and she nodded, before letting out a choked sob and losing the fight with her tears.

"What gave them the right to take me and Ryan away? They had no right my parents weren't going to hurt anyone…" She didn't know that for a fact but it was the impression she'd gotten from the letter. "I wish that they'd taken me to your family before it happened. I know your Dad doesn't treat Ingrid well but at least me and Ryan would have had a proper home."

"You know I never wanted to be a vampire." He reminded her gently. "So you'd probably have felt the same way as you do now."

"Which part of you is talking?" She muttered snidely drawing a chuckle from him.

"Both." He answered. His reflection enjoyed the power he wielded but hated having his destiny chosen for him. His other side just hated being forced to be something he didn't want. "We'll not want to be vampires together." He smiled and she laughed. He sobered, "Whatever happens, we'll do this together yeah? We're a family now," Vlad placed a hand on her stomach before drawing it back as if it burned him.

"What?" She asked, terrified that something was wrong with their unborn child.

"I can feel them." He could sense them instinctively in his mind.

Erin shook her head sadly, she liked him being excited but she didn't want him to be disappointed. "You can sense me," She reminded him quietly. Vlad could sense her; it was probably clouding his senses.

"No I can sense the baby." A smile crossed his face, "I can sense them as a vampire. I've never sensed it before." The child's nature was clearer to him. He seemed so sure she couldn't' really doubt him."

Erin hesitantly brushed a hand over her stomach; Vlad lifted his so she could come into better contact with it. She closed her eyes and concentrated. He wore a hopeful smile when her eyes popped open, frustrated, "I can't sense anything." She muttered, a stray tear slipping down her cheek. It wasn't fair that he could sense something she couldn't, she felt silly at the thought that she should have been the first to notice as she was the one whom the child was inside.

Vlad laced his fingers with the hand that was over her stomach as he kissed the tear away gently before tilting his head so their foreheads kissed. "I'm more sensitive than you with my powers; you'll sense it to now we know what you are."

"How do you know?"

"_Because we can talk like this."_ He whispered, _"It's all linked in with the senses."_

"_Okay."_ Erin whispered into his mind, he watched the pain on her face as she exerted herself to say that.

Vlad caught her jaw, his touch made her eyes snap open. _"Just focus on me and think, it doesn't have to hurt."_ It took him weeks to learn but she seemed to be able to pick it up quickly. _"It's not supposed to hurt."_

Her eyes opened, _"Like this?"_

He smiled as she seemed more relaxed._ "Just like that."_

"_Love you."_ She told him, grinning as she said it.

Vlad wore a matching smile on his face. _"Love you too."_

He pulled his head back, breaking the moment between them, there was something important they needed to do. "Renfield wants us." Vlad told her quietly.

She let out a sigh and nodded, she supposed she was ready to go back inside.

They never made it that far.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	72. In Trouble

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_A few people have asked me to do more one shots, at the moment my mind is a blank (I have a total of one in my mind) – I don't do so well with one shots I tend to do better with multi-chapter fics, so if there's anything people would like me to write one about…_

_I'll see what I can do. _

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 70: In Trouble

Alex McCauley stood there, a smug looking Carl hiding behind her shoulder. She looked as if she was on the warpath and had found her next victims.

Vlad stood tall, he wasn't going to be intimidated by a breather and certainly not one that he was prepared to drain before Erin had stopped him months before.

She gave them the sternest look that she could muster before pointing in the direction of her office across the courtyard. "My office. NOW!" Vlad looked at the sun trapped court yard, he looked back at her then to Erin. "Now Vlad." Miss McCauley repeated not tolerating his hesitation.

Vlad clicked his fingers and the Quester and headmistress froze. He knew there was no way out of this. He grabbed Erin and vanished taking the long route around the building to the other side of the courtyard.

He let go of her and immediately gave her an apologetic look as she dry retched, he'd forgotten how she might feel with her morning sickness. She shook her head, it wasn't his fault. He didn't want to leave her on her own with Carl.

"It's okay." She whispered, standing tall glad that she hadn't actually brought anything up.

"You sure?"

She quirked her lips at him, her stomach was churning slightly but nothing enough to make her panic. "Yeah."

Only when they were in the safety of her office did Vlad click his fingers to release their headmistress of the trance he'd put her in.

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Alex McCauley closed the door before looking towards Vlad and Erin. She expected them to be seated but Vlad seemed to be standing in an aggressive position but Erin seemed defiant. She stared at them with the look only teachers had perfected.

She tried to target who she thought would crumble first. "Erin, you've been missing far too many classes lately and you Vlad…"

"We're old enough to make our own decisions."

"How do you think you're going to pass your A-Levels if you don't attend class?"

Vlad shook his head, Bertrand had taught him well in law and breather law had become easier to understand. "A-Levels are optional in England."

Alex looked stunned for a second, "Not for much longer." She told Vlad firmly, "2015…"

She'd just walked into her own hole and Vlad was going to take advantage of that. "Three years from now!" Vlad snapped back at her. "You have no say in what we do."

Alex stood taller, leaning a fraction towards Vlad to enforce her authority. "You are students in my school and until you formally leave then you have to answer to me."

"On my eighteenth birthday we're leaving this school, going to my home country. Erin can do whatever she wants there." At least once he once and for all rescinded the rules that made women second class citizens.

Alex looked shocked at Vlad, this was the first she'd heard of it. "Is this your choice Erin or Vlad's?"

Erin didn't look at Vlad, she didn't want Miss McCauley to think she was scared of speaking without Vlad's permission. "Mine." Her voice didn't waver. She didn't have anything in this country left for her and perhaps it would be better if she was around her true kind. Vlad said she could be whatever she wanted to be there. "I'm going with Vlad, the Count agreed." Although what he'd say when they told him it was all confirmed was another thing.

"At least tell me where have you been?"

"We've had other things to deal with."

Miss McCauley looked at Vlad sternly, a knowing look in her eye. One that nearly made Vlad hesitate. "I know what other things Vlad." Erin's gaze flickered nervously to Vlad, did Miss McCauley know? "You are old enough to be able to consent to sex." Erin shuffled uncomfortably as Vlad let out a very low growl, "Is Erin 'in trouble'?" Vlad's jaw dropped as Erin froze at her question. Erin twisted to face Vlad unsure what to say.

"No." He answered, he looked the picture of pure innocence. He wasn't going to tell the truth, especially to a teacher who couldn't keep things in confidence and would go running to his father. Maybe he was judging her harshly but she did do that more than once and often with something that had been assumed.

Miss McCauley scrutinised them before deciding that their hesitation was shock at her question. She gave them a stiff nod. She gestured that they could leave the room with her eyes, as Vlad moved aside for Erin to go first being a perfect gentleman.

"I will be having words with you father Vlad."

Vlad didn't respond verbally, he nodded briskly before following Erin outside and slamming the door shut.

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Carl was waiting for them when they left the office, Vlad was the one who snapped first, "Fog off." He snarled at the Quester.

Erin folded her arms over her chest and glared at Carl, "Why are you still here?"

"We're friends Erin,"

She felt sickness building at that thought, it didn't leave her and she knew she had the effects of morning sickness to thank for that. "We *were* friends." She corrected automatically. She didn't consider him anywhere close to being a friend not after what he'd said about Vlad. "Why are you here?"

"Friends look out for each other Erin." Carl didn't move his gaze from Vlad, it reminded her of the looks Jonno had originally given Vlad. "You need to be protected from him."

"I can look after myself and Vlad knows that." Vlad grinned at those words, he knew she could look after herself and she wasn't going to let anyone say otherwise.

"Not well enough if you're stupid enough to sleep with him."

Vlad shot forward intent on teaching the Quester a lesson, Erin placed a hand on Vlad's chest. "He's looking to cause trouble Vlad." Erin told him gently. She looked at Carl, "This is the Vlad you don't want to offend." She warned him gently.

"He was in control before…" Then it clicked, being a Quester didn't mean he was ignorant of what would have changed Vlad's attitude. Vlad had been defensive of Erin before but this was more, there was something dangerous in his eyes. The look of evil. "He's faced a mirror since then." Vlad let out a low growl. Carl had a disgusted look on his face as he looked at Vlad before settling his eyes on Erin's stomach. "So Erin is 'in trouble'?" He smirked cruelly.

"Facing the mirror had nothing to do with any pregnancy!" Erin snarled at him growing defensive, "He touched it accidentally."

Carl ignored her, "Obviously Vlad's family don't know about it if you're standing here." He leaned in closer knowing Vlad was reaching the end of his tether and in his current condition he wouldn't care about the school full of breathers. Erin flinched backwards. "If you're clever you'll get rid of it."

It took a moment for his words to sink in and when they did he had disappeared into the crowd.

Vlad seemed to have something else on his mind, he'd ignored Carl's words completely refusing to let himself get worked up. "Why didn't he question it?" Vlad muttered.

Erin looked at him in confusion. "Question what?"

"He should know breathers and vampires aren't compatible, he didn't question *how* you're pregnant. We questioned it and so did Bertrand." Something was odd, he wondered if it was part of the reason why Carl was still hanging around.

Erin repeated her earlier comment. "He's just causing trouble."

Vlad had a feeling the trouble he was going to cause would be difficult to deal with.

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Erin was propped against the counter beside Vlad, her hand clutched at his frantically. She didn't know what Renfield was going to say and she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to hear it.

"At the moment Mistress Erin's DNA is stable. She has more traits of a mortal than a breather." Vlad didn't need to be reminded of that. "She'll probably die as a mortal." Renfield warned Vlad. Erin took a shuddering breath, there had been a glimmer of hope that her lifespan would match Vlad's without him completing the job.

Vlad nodded slowly, he'd accepted that. It would be painful when she died but he had precious time with her before then. They'd mentioned once causally and it was Erin who had said it about becoming a vampire in the future even though it had terrified her, there was hope back then. There still was a glimmer of hope as Ryan had been transformed fully when Ingrid had bitten him.

"I can change that if Erin wants it." He spoke firmly, it was the first time he'd actually acknowledged that he'd bite her if she wanted it. Erin gave a sad smile as she knew this was the selfish side of Vlad speaking, his more mixed side would never forgive himself. She doubted he could anyway, there was a huge reason standing in the way, one that he hadn't considered since they'd found all of this out. "If this is the reason you said we don't have a future…" Erin shot Vlad a surprised look, he hadn't mentioned that to her yet. He looked at her sheepishly, he hadn't wanted her to panic. "I don't care about that…"

"Her brother barely survived a bite from Ingrid and Mistress Ingrid barely survived the poisoned blood."

"You cured that."

"Only after her body had fought it and reduced it to a blood allergy. You haven't drunk human blood before Master Vlad, it could kill you."

Vlad shook his head, soy blood had been specifically designed so he wouldn't be at risk from infections. He'd told Erin that. "Soy blood…"

"There are some things you need experience in, in this case you need to know how to drink human blood. You need to have experience in breaking down human blood. Erin's blood would never have been considered in the production of soy blood, it would be a poison that wouldn't have an immunity because she isn't known about." Erin looked at Vlad and absentmindedly rubbed her neck. Vlad studied her; he'd never considered that before, he just assumed a dose of bat vomit would solve his problem. "Still there is no telling what remaining half and half will do to her. You had to a Blood Mirror Master Vlad even though you didn't want to, you knew you had to." Vlad nodded slowly, he had to face the mirror. He'd dealt with that. "Mistress Erin was born without that, she might need one."

"Why did you have to face it?" Erin asked Vlad softly.

"Because a vampires body begins to shut down if I didn't. I wouldn't be able to accept breather food anymore but I wouldn't have been able to accept blood either. My powers would have burned out my mind as well." Vlad didn't look at her as he spoke. "Erin doesn't have any powers."

"Does she have telepathy?" Renfield asked him slowly, Vlad nodded Erin could respond to him and no matter how minor it was she could heal at almost the same rate. "Then she has access to some powers. They'll only grow stronger over time and there is no telling the strain it will have on her DNA. I don't think her mind will be able to handle it."

Vlad wasn't going to accept it, "We'll deal with that if we have to."

"This is worse than her being a slayer Master Vlad, she was a breather before being a half fang is another. She'll be considered a threat to your kind. The Council would never let her survive." Renfield interrupted before Vlad could get any further. This was the large reason why they didn't have a future and the young master would have to realise it.

"I will protect her even if I have to turn the Council to dust to do it."

Renfield nodded, he believed the young vampire would do it, he'd seen what he'd nearly done to the Count before. "Even if she survived to become your mate." Erin blushed before looking at Vlad who showed no embarrassment at the term, but he would have grown up hearing those words as part of his culture, "The one thing I know for certain is that Mistress Erin could never be a true mate for you Master Vlad." Renfield gave Erin an apologetic look, he actually seemed to sense that he was bombarding her with information she couldn't fully handle. She simply blinked as if in a daze. Renfield shook his head. "Before the reason was because we thought she was human."

Vlad was curious; he didn't like feeling as if he'd been left out of half of a conversation. "The reason for what?"

"Even now she could never carry children Master Vlad. Breather or vampire." He knew that neither the Council nor the Count would take kindly to Vlad being childless as a certainty once Erin's nature was known. There had always been a hope that if Vlad bit her then she would be able to have children and the Count had conceded to that. "As a half fang nearly all of her DNA would be rewritten so she could become 'compatible' with you. Mistress Erin is a balance of both she's not exactly a half fang in the sense of the term she's more of a mutation."

Erin muttered something about being labelled so scientifically and so flatteringly.

Vlad froze, Erin was now half vampire it should have been possible. Vlad let out a scoff, "She can't become pregnant?" They'd defied that already. Then he realised the way his words had sounded so he needed to add something else. "There's a chance that she might with some of her DNA." He wanted to rationalise it, he didn't want to contradict him outright and say they had proof she could.

Renfield looked Vlad in the eye. "She can become pregnant." Renfield disagreed with him and Vlad felt more dread fill him, there was only one other thing that Renfield meant. "But her mixed DNA will fight the pregnancy as if it was an infection. It would be as if she was fighting a transformation."

"What are you saying?" He asked his voice coming out as less than a whisper.

Renfield wouldn't look at him once. "She'll miscarry *every* time."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_As you can tell I was dithering on a certain subject at the end of this and you know I never make anything straightforward._

_Thanks for reading._


	73. Lack of Emotion

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Sorry, I had to speak with the site over everything that's happened for the last week. It sort of took a while to sort out, they've traced where the 'reviews' came from that were dotted over the site and it's now in their hands._

_I loved the Young Dracula Files. Vlad and Bertrand… sigh. I swear Bertrand looks so much better without his hair being curled._

_Have to admit a little disappointed that there will only be one episode of YD4 a week._

_On Tuesday's can anyone tell me the ep the clip came from when Vlad was talking about rescuing Robin and getting the Count and Ingrid away first? I don't remember seeing it before._

_With this storyline I haven't quite made up my mind which way I'm taking it – I have two versions planned…_

Chapter 71: Lack of Emotion

Silence engulfed the room.

A million thoughts raced through Vlad's mind. He couldn't focus on one thought in particular.

Less than an hour before he'd been able to sense his son or daughter for the first time, now he was being told he'd never get to meet him or her. He couldn't' accept that. He wouldn't accept that.

It wasn't Renfield's fault, Renfield looked remarkably sullen as he'd told them, and it was clear he didn't want to tell them but thought they should know.

Vlad now wondered whether the kindest thing would have been not to tell them at all.

Erin didn't move she was numb, she never expected to hear those words. Women miscarried it was something that happened but to hear that she would miscarry every single time was too much to.

Vlad grabbed her shoulders and pulled her close. It terrified him that she wasn't crying and there were no signs of any emotion. He wondered if she'd processed it all like him. His mind was quicker than hers; it was part of his genetic makeup. He felt her wrap her arms loosely around his waist before tightening them.

He smiled involuntarily in relief as she began to respond. She moved her head, forcing herself onto her toes, to place her chin on his shoulder.

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Vlad whispered words directly into her mind, to Renfield it looked as if he was just comforting her from the news, not from the inevitable happening. He felt the back of his leather jacket being pulled down as her knees threatened to buckle from underneath her. He didn't like the lack of audible emotion she was showing, usually if something upset Erin she sobbed and so far she hadn't even uttered a single sob.

He pulled back thinking that perhaps her eyes had begun to flow but there was nothing on her face. He was the one who didn't cry, not Erin, even then (as Ingrid put it) he sulked. Her eyes gaze up at his terrified at his sudden loss of contact – fearful it was rejection. Vlad quickly cradled her cheek, watching as she leaned into his tender touch, he brushed his thumb back and forth over the apple of her cheek. Vlad leaned forward and kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger longer than necessary. He relished her warmth and the fleeting thought of if she was as warm as a regular breather fluttered through his mind. He hadn't touched a breather since becoming a vampire, he didn't want to.

"Isn't there something you can do?" Vlad asked Renfield quietly. "To make sure that Erin can carry children?"

"There's no rush Master Vlad…" He trailed off looking at Erin, noticing how her hand was cradling her stomach. Her fingers traced patterns on the skin as she tried to protect the child from the outside. He froze comically, before his jaw dropped and he looked at Vlad. The young master didn't look guilty so it was clearly something Vlad had accepted. "How far…"

"Nearly seven weeks." Vlad told Renfield quietly. Renfield still looked as if he wasn't sure that Vlad wasn't joking.

"It can happen any minute." He spoke a little too loudly, Vlad felt Erin tense next to him. "When it happens it can't be stopped." He continued, Erin turned away biting her bottom lip so hard she drew blood. She couldn't help it, turning her head was futile in the attempt to deny it. If she ignored it, it wouldn't go away. She couldn't lose her baby; she loved them so much already.

"Can you do anything before it happens?" Vlad asked, nearly begging with Renfield to do something. "Anything, please Renfield we can't lose it."

Renfield looked between the young couple and it was clear to see what even the thought of such a loss would do to them. He saw the way Erin's hand had turned white as she clutched fiercely at Vlad's, desperate for comfort. Vlad clearly hadn't noticed, he should have at least felt a pinch. Vlad was completely straight, he didn't move a muscle whereas Erin was trembling, almost blurring under the force of her fear.

He spoke slowly, "If anything can be done it'll have to be done to the baby as well. The only way I know of is through a bite and you can't bite her Master Vlad. Loyalty would bind her Master Vlad and the baby's mind would be harmed if the loyalty wasn't broken almost immediately like Mistress Erin's was." Erin didn't have chance to become loyal as her transformation had been slow and the vampire had been killed before the enzyme were strong enough to take effect in her system.

"So you're saying I would have to be slain for it to happen?" Vlad muttered.

"If you survived the biting." Erin muttered darkly, she didn't want to hurt Vlad, she didn't want to even hurt any vampire. She'd seen how Ingrid had reacted and she'd barely made it through that long to meet up with her brother. She doubted that if they hadn't met Vlad that Ingrid would have survived. Ingrid had reduced it to a blood infection but that would have still killed her, Vlad wouldn't be able to reduce it to one as he wasn't used to breaking down human blood in his system.

"Even if she was successfully bitten if the transformation process would have to be quick, it couldn't be gradual as there's every chance she'd miscarry before then but if it's too fast it could kill the child anyway."

Erin felt her eyes glisten. Did she want to be like Vlad? How was this decision any different than before? She supposed she already was but did she want to now be completely like him? She wasn't any different now she knew but Ryan had changed. Vlad had said that if she was ready for it then it wouldn't necessarily change her.

She didn't want to be an outcast but to Vlad she wasn't and would never be. He loved her. She didn't want to put him through the pain of losing her. If there were benefits to becoming a vampire then she'd gladly take them but all her mind could think of was doubts and in particular the biggest roadblock for her was the loyalty aspect. Neither of them would really be living if she became loyal to him.

It didn't matter about her decision as it wouldn't help anyway.

Words left her lips before she even realised. "So it's just waiting…" He voice was cracked and hoarse.

Vlad didn't want her to think that way, there was a way around almost everything. Something would turn up. "Erin…"

Erin shook her head, her tears flying from her face, "No I'm going to lose the baby and I have to just stand by and wait for it to happen."

"We're not going to stand by and…"

"Maybe your Dad needs to know about me being a half fang." She changed the subject quickly; the sudden change almost gave Vlad whiplash. He blinked trying to catch up with her, being taken aback.

"We need to talk about this…"

Erin shook her head, a determined look across her face. "After we tell your Dad it's been confirmed."

Erin had a set expression on her face and Vlad knew that he wouldn't be able to get her to listen. It was better to go along with her… for now.

One thing was certain, they'd talk about this after seeing the Count.

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The Count had his feet propped up on the nearest footstool. He looked at Erin with a mixture of uncertainty and dismissal. "So?"

"She is a half fang…" The Count snorted in disgust, "Of sorts." Vlad added at the end. Erin was but she wasn't at the same time. It was confusing.

"What does this mean for our family?" The Count asked, glancing towards his son. Erin felt as if his eyes were trying to burn through her.

Vlad didn't move his gaze from his father, "Erin's still coming with me. I don't care what her DNA says, she'll be my responsibility as a unique half fang." Unique almost made her feel special – almost. Erin didn't miss the softness in his tone as he spoke. He said the word as if he was caressing it.

The Count shook his head, he didn't like the sound of 'unique'. Unique wasn't something that was desired or well received in their world. All vampires were supposed to be cut from the same cloth but his son wasn't and clearly neither was Erin.

The Count sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He really didn't want to face the possibility of his next question. It would be less dishonourable if no one knew the extent of what Erin was. "Is there a chance she can be a mate?"

Vlad blinked, he never expected the Count to ask that. "It's too soon dad…"

"I didn't mean now!" The Count roared at his son, he would never mean now, Vlad had far too many things to deal with in the first few years of his rule. "You're far too young to get betrothed!" Vlad narrowed his eyes. "But you won't look at another vampire while she's alive."

"Because I don't need to and there's nothing that would make me when Erin dies." In her current mortal state there was no 'if' about Erin dying there was only 'when'.

"Things change Vladimir." The Count warned lowly. Feelings could change, his feelings towards Vlad's mother had changed.

Vlad rolled his tongue in his mouth, trying his best not to lash out with his powers. "Not enough." His eyes hardened as he spoke. He'd been drawn to Erin because she was everything his kind wasn't, ironic considering she was almost a half fang.

"How does this affect us? Now we know what she is…"

Vlad winced, he didn't really want to talk about this. He didn't want to make Erin any more uncomfortable than she already was. "We don't exactly know what Erin is."

"You said she's a half fang…"

"Erin's different to other half fangs, more different than we realised…"

Erin chose that moment to speak, Vlad wished she hadn't as she cut him off. He could only hope it was because grief was speaking.

"So different I'm going to lose my baby."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	74. Out of the Loop

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I was hoping to get this finished before the new series, just in case inspiration strikes from the new episodes. If not, and inspiration strikes… (and some have struck from the YD files)…_

_Would anyone mind me writing two stories at the same time?_

Chapter 72: Out of the Loop

The reaction was instant, Vlad to his credit didn't wince as the masonry shook and crumbled around them. "VLADIMIR!"

Ingrid blinked before saying her disbelief, "WHAT?!"

"ERIN!" Vlad angrily snapped at her, ignoring the outraged expressions on his father's and sister's faces. Had she gone completely crazy?

Erin gave him a blank expression reminding him of ironically a vampire. She was guarding herself and that scared him.

Erin spoke monotonously, the change of atmosphere in the room not bothering "They have to find out at some point."

Vlad looked at her sharply, "Is now really the best time?"

"When would be the best time Vlad?" She asked, her eyebrows rising. The pure, raw pain in her eyes was enough to take anyone's breath away and Vlad felt his anger melt. "When I'm bleeding on the floor, miscarrying our child?" There would be no way to disguise that happening, they'd all smell the blood a mile off. "It can happen any minute and the quicker they know the truth the easier it will be when it happens."

She began to tremble, trying her best to hold it all in. Erin rocked back and forth from the balls of her feet to her heels. She tried her hardest to ignore everything that was going through her mind. She was seventeen, too young by breather standards to be pregnant but she wanted this child. She wanted Vlad's child more than anything. She could cope with a baby, she knew she could because Vlad would be with her but why did life have to be so cruel?

Her eyes began to water and Vlad knew this was the emotion she should have experienced half an hour before rearing its head. He wished it had been under better circumstances but he knew what it was like to try and hold emotions in. The came out at the wrong times, there was just no way you could control them. He'd done it when he'd accidently told Bertrand the key to the writing in that damned book.

"You aren't going to miscarry." He told her sternly. He wasn't going to let that happen at all, she was his future. He didn't care about his legacy that his child would be forced to take up he cared about the baby because he wanted it.

Erin didn't believe him. "I want a family Vlad, I've never had one and I want one so badly it hurts." She'd never thought she'd almost have one so early, she'd always wanted to have a family of her own and give them the chances she'd never had.

The entire room was transfixed on the conversation the young couple were happening.

Vlad stroked her jaw; kissing her neck delicately he smiled at her shakily. He could feel his throat thickening with unshed tears. "We will have one."

She looked down, her chest heaving. "I can't have children Vlad. Not breather, not vampire. I can never have your children. I'll lose every one of them, I can't go through that. I can't put you through that."

"*IF* it happens, we'll deal with it together." He wouldn't leave her, it would be almost unbearable but he knew that he wouldn't want to be anywhere else. "Renfield's been wrong before about DNA." That was the hope he was clinging to, this time he knew it would be a genuine mistake on Renfield's part but he still could be wrong.

Erin wanted to remind him of something important. "It's your heir, they will have your power, if I lose the baby then…" She trailed off, clutching her hands to her face, catching the tears as they escaped. It would be her most basic duty to bear him children and she couldn't do that. She could never do that and that's what hurt so much. At least before when she didn't know there was a glimmer of hope if she wanted to be like him.

Ignorance is bliss, as they say.

He knew she was worried about what others would think of her, he pulled her hands from her face and held her hands on his chest in both of his. His thumbs swept back and forth in a hypnotic, calming gesture that forced her to relax. "Erin I don't care about the power. I care about you and the baby. I don't see things the way Dad does, I want to have a family with you, half fang or not." He glanced to his father who wore a guarded expression on his face. "I don't care what Dad thinks, he can push all the vampiresses at me that he wants, it won't change the fact I love you."

Then the whole room finally seemed to catch up with the conversation.

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The Count stood slowly fixed Erin and Vlad with a harsh gaze. Erin wanted to flee from the room only Vlad's firm grip on her stopped her from doing that. His eyes blackened and Erin closed her eyes. He wasn't the star of nightmares for no reason although there was another vampire in the room who'd taken his place. Although in her case while Vlad was the most terrifying of all vampires, Bertrand was the one who terrified her.

"No vampire has produced an heir before they were even eighteen!" The Count yelled at his son. Vlad stood his ground, "And with a slayer! You should have known the consequences!"

"I knew them enough." Vlad snapped back angrily, he hadn't been thinking of them at the time though.

"How could you let this happen?!" He roared at Bertrand.

Vlad shook his head, he wasn't going to let the blame be shifted onto Bertrand. "Bertrand has no control over me!"

The Count didn't look at his son, Bertrand however was trying his best to remain indifferent. He wasn't going to let the Count's words affect him. "He is in charge of you until you're eighteen!"

"Where's the contract that says that?" Vlad snapped, "Bertrand trains me and he teaches me the law, he isn't my guardian!"

The Count let out a clap of thunder, "He should have taught you about this."

"He did!" Vlad snapped and it was a very uncomfortable conversation. Not nearly as uncomfortable as 'the talk' but uncomfortable just the same. "We didn't think it applied."

"She was brought up by slayers Vlad! You should have known that they might have done something to…"

"They didn't though did they? We did! We turned her into this and let them take her from us. You should have protected her, found her after she was taken. If we'd known then we would have been more careful!"

The Count noticed that Vlad wasn't saying that they wouldn't have gone as far as they had, only that when they did make love that they'd have been more careful. The Count felt anger burn through him. The entire room lashed, Ingrid and Erin jumped but Vlad didn't move a muscle. "I'm very disappointed…"

"In you Vladimir." Vlad finished with the Count, shaking his head angrily. "We made the choice together to go further, we didn't know this could happen it should have been impossible but it has happened. I love Erin and I love our child."

"You don't know anything about being a father!" It took him six hundred years to learn, there was no way Vlad could learn in barely eighteen years.

Vlad wasn't going to be treated like he was ignorant. His father had taught him more than he realised. "I know enough to love them even if it's a girl. I will never do what you've done to Ingrid to my child. I won't have a favourite and I won't treat Erin the way you treat mum. Renfield practically brought me and Ingrid up when we were younger!"

"Who changed your nappies?"

"Renfield!" Vlad shouted, "You were always out drinking blood with mum. Why do you think Ingrid is the way she is? Why do you think I hate being a vampire so much?" The whole room shook with the force of his emotion. "I will do everything that you didn't do for him or her."

"Him." The Count contradicted.

"OR HER!" Vlad shouted angrily. He didn't care about gender, he cared about them being healthy and surviving the pregnancy.

The Count bristled at the conversation and Vlad knew he was hitting nerves and he didn't care. This had been bubbling for years and he could actually see where Ingrid had been coming from for years. Her actually agreed with her attitude in those moments.

The Count gestured with one long finger towards Erin, "What about her? Have you any idea the disgrace you've brought on her? Even amongst the breathers she'll be an outcast if it survives." Being a teenage mother was frowned upon in breather culture.

"She's not a breather." Vlad told him sternly, "Look at Ingrid and Bertrand." He was going to make a point here, one that Ingrid wasn't sure she'd like to be part of. "They don't look older than eighteen, Ingrid's nearly twenty one and Bertrand's over four hundred, to breathers they'd be frowned upon if they..." The Count didn't let him finish.

"You sad it Vladimir, eighteen. You and Erin are under that age. By our culture Erin is exempt. You on the other hand…"

"I don't care about my age. I go into power with an heir, one that hasn't been forced on me or decided through a bride. Although the Council probably already have a list for available young vampiresses." Vlad growled bitterly. "I have a child, you can't change that."

"I feel sick." Erin gasped, turning around trying to find something to be sick into, rather than the floor.

Vlad reached a hand out to steady her but no one could have guessed her reaction.

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"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Erin snarled at Vlad. He drew his hand back as fast as he could, dropping it to her side for the briefest of moments. "TOUCHING ME IS WHAT GOT US INTO THIS MESS!"

Her emotions had changed again, her hormones were making them much more susceptible to what was happening.

Vlad didn't listen, he made a decision. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her back to him. With three purposeful strides he had her pushed against the wall and held her there, using very little strength. His family watched him in shock at treating her this way but he knew that if she left the room she could miscarry there and then, not to mention being a target. He'd forcefully stopped her from being irrational before when they thought Bertrand knew what she was during that whole Ramanga period, it wouldn't hurt her she just needed to see reason. She slammed her hands against his chest, trying to get him to let go of her. Vlad winced as he received each blow, he could feel the adrenaline leaving her slowly or at least the fight was.

He spoke lowly and calmly, letting his voice caress her ears. "Erin…"

"No…" She half sobbed. "No." She repeated.

Her gaze wouldn't meet his, she looked everywhere but at him, "LOOK AT ME." He shouted loudly making her jump, reluctantly her gaze met his and her lip quivered. "I am not letting the baby go without a fight. I don't care what they say, we are going to have this baby."

She scoffed, although it came out as more of a cough.

Vlad narrowed his eyes at her. "I am not losing the chance of a family with you, there are things we can do. If you become a true half fang then…"

She shook her head, she wanted to cut him off before he went too far. "I'm not letting you bite me."

"Erin…"

"It will kill you." She knew Vlad wouldn't be able to handle it. "If it doesn't I'm not slaying you."

The Count put his tuppence worth in, "Listen to her Vladdy."

Vlad ignored his father, "Then we'll find another way. There has to be a way we can have our baby. Maybe you can become a vampire another way. A way that won't hurt either of you." He realised his mistake as soon as he said it, she was terrified of being like him. "I don't want you to be like me but…"

"For the baby." She muttered, she looked downwards then back at him. She wasn't agreeing with it but she knew Vlad wasn't pressuring her with it, someone had to say it and he was the one who suggested that it might be their goal.

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Everyone in the room listened to the gravity of Vlad's words, there was no way she could become a full breather again, there was only the option of making her a full vampire but even that was impossible in her current condition.

There was no way Vlad would do it after she miscarried so she would be able to carry any other children. There was no option of losing this child.

The couple jumped after a minute or so of silence as someone in the room spoke. "Perhaps losing the baby is the kindest thing Vladimir." The Count muttered softy,

"That isn't an option."

"There are consequences Vladimir." The Count spoke lightly, he didn't like what he was suggesting. "Consequences for you if it lives."

"I will do anything I have to, to make sure it survives." He knew his father wasn't actually suggesting that they should get rid of the child, he was instead saying it might be easier for both of them if they let things happen naturally.

The Count nodded briskly, his mind made up with Vlad's words.

Ingrid shot forward, "Dad no." She couldn't let Vlad be subjected to that… or Erin. Ingrid couldn't watch that happen.

The Count turned to face his eldest child, pure fury on his face. It made Ingrid shrink back for the first time in years. Bertrand shot forward, pushing Ingrid safely behind him. He felt Ingrid hand come up and squeeze his upper arm in thanks.

"It's different in Vladimir's case." This was more serious than actually getting Erin pregnant. Far more serious. There were consequences that couldn't be ignored.

Ingrid couldn't believe her father would actually do this. "It hasn't mattered before." Vlad looked confused; they seemed to know something that he didn't. Ingrid was always the one who knew these things. "Vlad loves Erin, they didn't do this out of lust they were together out of love." That sounded almost too cheesy for her to say this, "Vlad's not a kid anymore, he made his decision and he's accepted it, we caught them weeks ago…" She'd spoken too much, she realised that when it was too late trailing off.

Bertrand tipped his head at Ingrid's slip. He closed his eyes and imperceptivity shook his head.

"You knew?" He asked, the air turning cold, "You knew that they were together *for weeks* and you didn't tell me?"

"I trusted Vlad to make his own decisions. This isn't his fault and it isn't Erin's either!" Ingrid had never defended her brother so vehemently. "You wouldn't have cared if I was in Erin's position when I was sixteen…"

"You'll never be in her position Ingrid!" The Count snarled at his daughter, "I'm not having any more children disgrace me." Ingrid scoffed, she already was a disgrace wasn't she?

Ingrid looked at Bertrand, she felt hatred rush through her. Hatred she hadn't felt in weeks bubbling to the surface. How could he betray her like that? How could he keep a secret that affected her family from her?

Then she forced herself to calm, ironically to act like Bertrand and think things through logically. It hadn't been Bertrand's secret to tell. He was in the middle, he knew but he wouldn't tell because it was none of his business. On the other hand it was the business of their entire kind.

She felt her anger dissolve slowly, ebbing away. She was angry at Vlad for getting him and Erin into this situation but she couldn't be angry at Bertrand for wanting to be left out of it. She had a feeling that if she questioned him directly he would have told her the truth. He didn't want to know what he'd found out.

Still it didn't mean she couldn't have a little revenge planned.

Pushing that to the side of her mind she focused back on the conversation and what her father had said.

Her anger returned tenfold but directed at the Count.

"My unlife is none of your business!" She roared at him, Bertrand grabbed her arm before she could launch a misguided fireball towards anyone. She tried to shake him off but he increased his grip to a light pinch wanting her to get the message. After a few more brief seconds he felt her muscles relax and let go of her slowly, fully prepared for it to be a ploy. "I can have anyone I want." She looked at Bertrand before giving him an apologetic look, she hadn't meant it the way it had come out. He nodded accepting her apology he knew what she meant. "I will have a family of my own and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"Ingrid leave it." Bertrand stepped in.

"No!" She snarled at him, "I'm not letting him decide who I'm with and whether I can have a family."

"Ingrid." Vlad warned lowly, "You're not helping." This wouldn't get them anywhere except make the Count even angrier.

Bertrand's voice was soft as he spoke, "Listen to your brother, amata." Ingrid had never moved so fast, she spun to face Bertrand. She wondered if he knew what he'd said. There was softness in his eyes, she reached up asking him if he knew what he'd said and he nodded.

She nodded adding, in the masculine form, "Amatus." He grinned at her after a moment's shock, he didn't expect her to know Latin. He expected her to ask him what it meant. Then she whispered in English knowing what was crossing his mind, "Beloved." Bertrand was of the old ways, it was the way he spoke. She liked the archaic speak.

Then the moment was ruined. The Count laughed, gesturing towards Bertrand, "With him?"

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Vlad roared at his father, he was tired of the taunts they all received. The Count looked at Vlad a mask of disappointment crossing his face once again. "Punish me but not Ingrid or Erin or Bertrand."

Ingrid attentions snapped from Bertrand and back to her brother. "Vlad you don't know what the punishment is or why…!"

"I know why!"

Ingrid shook her head, it wasn't what Vlad thought, "No you don't!" Well maybe it was partly but that wasn't the whole issue. Vlad looked at Ingrid seeing worry and concern in her eyes. Erin looked between them all feeling completely left out of the loop. "Bertrand, help me…"

Bertrand wasn't sure how he was going to help. His knowledge of law failing him in that moment as he tried to see why the Count had decided to react this way. Bertrand could only think of one thing. "Ingrid's right, this action has never been taken before…"

"YOU'RE JUST AS WEAK AS VLAD BEING CORRUPTED BY A WOMAN!" He snarled at Bertrand, Ingrid let out a hiss. Bertrand couldn't be corrupted he was set in his ways. It was just a miracle that they were both so alike, as for Erin she couldn't corrupt anything. "AS FOR WHAT I'M GOING TO DO… THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING!" The Count roared, ignoring Ingrid and looking at Vlad.

Vlad looked across to Erin who shared a look of complete confusion.

Then everything became clear as shadows engulfed the room and Vlad was forced to his knees with a crack. Vlad looked up at his father, his top lip curling at the way he was forced to the ground.

The Count stepped closer to his son, a long finger positioned under his son's chin forced his head upwards painfully. "You need to be taught a lesson."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Would anyone mind me writing two stories at the same time?_

_Thanks for reading._


	75. True Heir

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I didn't realise… I've been typing YD for almost a year! In a couple of weeks it marks a year._

_Time's flown by!_

Chapter 73: True Heir

Vlad's head was forced forwards, while his back was arched painfully. The shadows held him down at an angle he couldn't break free from. There was no way he could escape. He felt his wrists being bound with chords of steel. It was becoming a far too regular occurrence being bound.

Erin ran forwards towards Vlad, desperate to force the two vampires from him. "Leave him alone."

"Erin stay there!" Vlad shouted at her, looking warily at the two vampires who'd joined them. He didn't want her getting hurt. She stopped looking at him for confirmation that it was what he really wanted. He nodded slowly, he could deal with this. There wasn't anything his father could really do to him other than give him a stern talking to – or so he thought.

Ingrid tried to help her brother, speeding towards one of the vampires who held him.

In a flash she felt something impact with her chest and she was thrown backwards. The vampires moved too fast for her to dodge it.

Ingrid would have hit the wall if Bertrand hadn't moved and caught her in his arms. He gently set her down on the floor. She looked flustered at being thrown backwards; she straightened herself wincing at the memory of the pain.

The two vampires looked smug and it made her teeth grind together. "Who are they?" Ingrid snarled, rubbing her chest.

"Insurance. In case he attacks this family again!"

Ingrid knew the truth. "You mean in case he attacks you."

The Count ignored his daughter, focusing on his son and what his son had done. He never thought his son had it in him. Vlad had never shown any interest in a relationship until Erin had come along. She drew Vlad out of his shell and for that he was grateful but there were now consequences. "You got a slayer pregnant!" The Count roared at his son, "Before you knew what she was! She's a thing!"

"Erin is not a 'thing'." Vlad snapped at the Count, "Erin is the mother of my child and my future Q…"

"I don't think so Vladimir." Vlad only saw red, he tried to pull at his binds but found he couldn't move, they had done a fantastic job of holding him secure. "You haven't even asked her about that."

The Count was right they hadn't thought about any future after the baby was born. "Because we're not ready for it yet!" He snapped at the Count, "I'm not going to ask Erin before I think she's ready but I want her to be by my side. Just because mum left every full moon…"

"Don't you dare compare your 'relationship'," He spat out the word as if it were poison, "With that 'thing' is anything like your mother's and mine. Our relationship was respected…"

"There is nothing respectful about her running off with a werewolf! You know it's forbidden!" Vlad countered, his mother had done more of a disgrace than he ever had.

"So is being with a half fang, and having a child before you're eighteen."

Vlad wanted to say his piece, "I will be eighteen when the baby is born and it's frowned upon – not forbidden!" He wasn't considering losing the baby, it would survive. "I can handle the disgrace and scandal, it will be me affected not the family so you don't need to punish me to defend our honour…"

Ingrid was definitely right; Vlad didn't know why he was being punished. It was for being underage but it wasn't the main reason. Ingrid spoke quietly, "It isn't why you're going to be punished Vlad." She didn't know what the punishment would be like him but she knew that it wasn't going to be one she could stomach.

Her brother looked adorably confused, she looked towards Bertrand who gave Vlad a sympathetic look. "Then what…"

The Count didn't disappoint his son, he couldn't contain his fury at his son's ignorance. "This is your firstborn!" The Count roared at Vlad, "You know for a fact that no other will inherit your power so you waste it on a breather, slayer, half fang thing that shouldn't even exist! One that can't even carry your child!" Erin gasped as the insult struck her in the gut and Vlad let out a hiss.

The Count couldn't believe his son could be so stupid; his first child was the most important. He needed a secure lineage to rule and he'd lost that.

"I didn't waste anything. I love Erin!"

The Count needed his son to actually listen and face facts. "She will miscarry Vlad, she said so much, you won't have a true heir. You need an heir but you wasted that chance…"

"It isn't Erin's fault that she *might* miscarry…"

"What can you do to stop it Vlad?" The Count's eyebrows were raised as he stared at his son wanting an answer. "You can't bite her, it won't solve any problems. You *will* lose this baby." He gave Erin's stomach a disgusted look and Erin a larger one for failing in her duty to carry the child even if he didn't approve of her being the mother.

"You'll be the laughing stock of our kind. The Council will never respect you again."

"I don't want their respect." Vlad told him firmly, "I don't care about the Council, I'm putting my own power structure in place."

Ingrid agreed with her brother, the Council needed to be removed and something else take their place. The world was changing, they couldn't keep living in the dark ages for much longer. "Vlad doesn't…"

The Count stared at his daughter; he didn't want to listen to her defending her brother. He didn't need that now on top of everything else. "GET OUT!" Ingrid shook her head, he wasn't going to boss her around anymore.

Vlad didn't look at his sister, his gaze remained on the Count so he couldn't be surprised about anything. "Ingrid go, take Erin with you."

Erin didn't want to leave him, she needed to be by his side throughout this. She wanted to know what his being 'taught a lesson' entailed. "Vlad…"

"Go."

Bertrand knew they wouldn't go without being physically dragged from the room. He tenderly placed a hand on Erin's shoulder and pushed her towards the doors, he took Ingrid's hand and laced their fingers before pulling her from the room. She was reluctant to leave but soon followed him, leaving Vlad, the Count and his guards to 'talk'.

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As soon as the door clicked shut they continued their argument, "You owe me half of that power Vladimir."

"That was a deal to stop you handing Erin over, Erin is one of us. You can't order me to do anything."

"You are my son! You will do as I say. You've disgraced your family, who will want to marry Ingrid…"

Vlad had an answer to that; the Count knew the answer as well. "Bertrand."

The Count bent down, "Don't interrupt me Vladimir!" He roared at his son. "Your actions have consequences." He paused watching Vlad's jaw set. "What made you think you can raise a child at eighteen?!"

Vlad let out an angry breath, "Because I can do anything if Erin's beside me! Erin listens to me and supports me. We would be dust if it wasn't for her. We never meant for it to happen but it did. I don't regret it for a second."

"What about your next child?" The Count asked his son pointedly, "What about when they inherit the throne from you? Being powerless they will be ash within a week. Will you regret it then?"

Vlad let out an irritated huff. "Why are you so against me and Erin having a child together?! I'm not leaving her and I'm not letting her go through this alone!"

The Count denied Vlad's comment vehemently, "I'm more concerned with the fact you've lost your true heir because lust took over!"

Vlad shook his head, yanking on his binds and those that held him down. "It's never been lust!" He felt himself being pulled back. "We made love. That love created a child, I'm standing by her throughout this and we will find a way to make sure the baby is born." His father didn't understand, he'd waited six hundred years for an heir and then his partner kept leaving them. Erin was different to their mother, she wouldn't abandon him or their child.

The Count looked away. "It should have been a full vampiress and after a wedding ceremony…"

Vlad's eyes narrowed, "You might have forced me to marry a vampiress but I wouldn't have bedded her." Gasps behind him drew his attention back to those holding him, he was being bold like this. He had another day at least being in complete control.

The Count's voice dropped low, his son was willing to defy him in every way. "It would have been your duty Vladimir."

"Not if I didn't love her." He answered, with determination.

That seemed to tip the Count over the edge completely. It was time for Vlad's punishment.

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Bertrand didn't look at Ingrid; he didn't want her to be disappointed with him for not telling her about Erin's condition. He glanced towards Erin who seemed to have her gaze fixed on the doors; she wouldn't look away from them. It was as if she could see through them. They could hear the shouting match happening on the other side of the doors, it was unsettling.

He felt a hand on his chest, his gaze snapped down to see Ingrid looking up at him. He couldn't see any emotions in her eyes at first but then he saw complete understanding.

"That's what you were keeping from me?" Ingrid asked Bertrand softly.

"It wasn't my secret to tell." Bertrand immediately defended. "I didn't want to get involved."

Ingrid could see that, especially as the Count had tried to implicate it was his fault. "You did the right thing."

"You're not angry?" He would have thought she'd be upset that he didn't tell her.

"As long as you gave my brother a good going over I'm happy." He nodded; he had had stern words with the Chosen One over this. "I trust you," She whispered, "I've never trusted anyone like I trust you. I'm like Erin I struggle to trust people and when I do I always end up losing them. I don't want to lose you."

Bertrand brought a hand up, he hesitated at first taking a few deep breaths before moving his hand the rest of the way to her neck. Ingrid's eyes widened, he'd never done that before. He went to pull his hand away but he noticed how she closed her eyes and he smiled. She really did trust him.

Ingrid knew her heart would be racing if she still was mortal. She'd seen Vlad and Erin do this countless times, Vlad never seemed surprised when Erin touched him it was the ultimate display of trust. In Erin's case it was trust that he wouldn't bite her like he'd tried to before.

Her eyes opened as he caressed the skin of her neck, "Can I?"

Bertrand nodded, Ingrid reached her hand upwards and briefly touched his neck. She'd never done this before, not even with Will. Something had never seemed quite right before, Will had touched her neck but it wasn't a conscious decision it was when he kissed her. He never would have understood its significance to her or her kind. She'd never felt the thrill that was currently coursing through her now, even when she fooled herself into thinking that Will knew what it meant – anything to pretend for a few minutes.

He gave her a narrowed look and she shrugged, she was being a coward. She was terrified of how serious this action was, she didn't want to get it wrong.

"You're not angry?" He asked again. Ingrid shook her head. "Pity, I was curious what you were going to do to me."

Ingrid noticed the flirtation in his tone, she looked up at him placing a hand on his chest, "I'm saving it for next time, amatus." She watched as his eyes closed briefly at the endearment, a smile crossed her face.

Bertrand was curious, "How do you know Latin?"

She batted her eyelashes slowly, looking at his chest before up to his eyes. "I know more than you think."

"What's he going to do to Vlad?" Erin asked quietly, bringing the couple back to Earth with a bump.

"I don't know for certain..." Ingrid had a feeling they were going to be separated, or at least the Count was going to try to. She didn't want to tell Erin that though. It would be more painful on them both to go through the ordeal alone. "No one's ever been punished like this before." Before couples were forced to unite in marriage, she knew the Count wouldn't make that happen while Erin was still mortal. He may have allowed Vlad to take her to Transylvania before but he never once said marriage.

Erin shook her head slowly, "It's not his fault."

Ingrid gently placed a hand on Erin's shoulder, she knew Erin would be blaming herself. "And it's not yours. Do you think Vlad would have honestly gone that far with you if he thought it was possible? If he did know, he would have been careful."

This was her fault, if she hadn't said anything then Vlad wouldn't be being punished. "I let it slip, I was just so angry…"

"Erin, Dad would have reacted like this no matter when he found out." Ingrid looked at Bertrand for help; she wasn't used to being this nice to anyone. It was a strange feeling.

He didn't get chance to interrupt as he was summoned. "BERTRAND!"

"Sounds like Dad wants us."

Bertrand didn't bother to contest her, he didn't want to fight. Not with everything that was happening. He looked behind him towards Erin and Ingrid before opening the doors and walking back inside the throne room.

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"Bertrand help hold him still." The Count ordered, gesturing with his hands towards Vlad. Extra force would be needed if Vlad was going to be taught a lesson. There was nowhere else left to hold as he looked at the young vampire.

Bertrand looked between Vlad and Ingrid. Vlad had acceptance on his face, he'd understand that he was following the Count's orders. Bertrand didn't have any choice but to obey the Count, Vlad still had just over a month to go until he was in charge and at the moment it looked like that was dwindling even further.

A voice came into his mind, speaking firmly with a threatening undertone._ "Don't you dare!"_ His gaze snapped to Ingrid, she had a look of pure disgust on her face. He didn't like seeing that look on her face.

He moved forwards hesitantly, a respectful bow in his posture. Ingrid shook her head angrily; he wouldn't know what hit him after this.

A few feet from Vlad, Bertrand lifted his head and spoke. "No."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	76. Taught A Lesson

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_The punishment took me a while to write as I've spent ages rethinking it to make it work... Inspiration struck from something Vlad said on the YD Files._

_I hope that it's not a disappointment…_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 74: Taught A Lesson

The room dropped in temperature a good few degrees. Erin shivered rubbing her arms, trying to get some form of warmth into them.

The Count turned slowly to look at Bertrand fully, "What did you say?"

"I said 'NO'." He said his defiance louder, he'd betrayed Vlad before and he wasn't going to again. Vlad didn't deserve this, he knew that Vlad had made a mistake but it clearly wasn't one that he regretted. They were young but they were devoted to each other.

"I am your Regent."

Bertrand stood tall, Ingrid took his hand and squeezed it. She was proud of him for standing up to the Count, he was doing the right thing in her mind. "And Vlad is the future Grand High Vampire, I'm not going to punish him then be punished later for it."

The Count looked at the two vampiric 'bodyguards' who were holding his son steady. He was angry at Bertrand's defiance but even more so at him doing it so publically. He had the power until his son came of age and until his son saw reason he would still have that power. "I will deal with you later!" He gestured with his hand for them to hold Vlad even tighter. "As I said Vladimir you need to be taught a lesson!"

Vlad forced his head upwards, looking through black eyes at the Count. "What are you going to do? Ground me for the rest of my unlife?" He snarled at his father.

The Count shook his head, his eyes narrowing at his son's attitude. He strode across to the room and plucked a box from the fireplace. It was a large box, plain ash, the hinges were silent as the box opened. Something glistened from inside, casting a glow on the Count's face. "No, something much worse."

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Vlad felt something being clamped around his neck. Something was turned and twisted – a combination lock.

It was cold and metal, about an inch wide and half an inch thick, it rested just above his Adams apple so he could still speak. It bit into his skin, he knew there would be marks of some kind when and if it ever came off. He really was being punished.

He tried to twist and turn away from it but he couldn't stop it being forced onto his neck. His hands were released and Vlad tried to claw at the thin metal band that surrounded his neck. The collar wouldn't move, he didn't need to guess what it was, he could smell it from here.

"It's infused with liquid garlic Vladimir, you can't snap it off without burning yourself. Not that you can anymore. You're not immune to argentalium." There was smugness in his tone. "I've had this since your last little 'betrayal' when you tried to kill me, just in case I needed it."

"They're supposed to have been destroyed."

The Count looked at Bertrand, he wasn't fazed. He knew that law. "A souvenir from a slayer."

Bertrand shook his head, his lip curling, he'd only seen a collar like that once before. That was nearly two centuries ago in a previous vampire war. It was to keep the prisoner subdued. He knew the consequences of wearing that collar. It was part of the reason they were supposed to have been destroyed.

"It's barbaric!" Ingrid yelled looking at her brother. He looked helpless, she'd never seen him looking like this before, she'd seen him out of ideas and humiliated but not helpless.

The Count didn't seem fazed he shook off her insult as if it was a compliment, "Thank you."

"You have no right to do this to either of them!" Ingrid snarled, "Vlad will be Grand High Vampire and he will force you to remove it." The Count had forgotten that, or so she had thought.

The Count gave her an incredulous look, "How is he going to do that with his powers contained? He can't force me as I'm the only one who can remove it, it responds to my touch no one else's. Once he's learned his lesson I'll take it off."

How anyone knew when Vlad had learned his lesson was a good question.

"You're playing right into the Council's hands!" She snapped, "They'll stake him like this, he can't defend himself."

Ramanga would have a field day with this, Vlad would be a target. The Count didn't see that though.

Bertrand gave Vlad a quick look and Vlad nodded, he knew his training. They weren't sure if the Count knew about the hand to hand combat training Bertrand had given him. They knew about his powers but the Count had never really been interested in exactly what the training his son received entailed.

Erin watched Vlad as he was shackled, she couldn't believe the Count would do this to his own son. This was her fault just as much as Vlad's. This was why she didn't want him to be the one to bear the brunt of this punishment.

She refused to stand by and watch as her boyfriend was bound and degraded. Erin tried to move towards him but within six feet she doubled over clutching her stomach. Her breath came in shallow gasps; she forced herself forwards trying her hardest to reach Vlad's side.

The Count watched her unfazed, she needed to know what would happen. It was her punishment just as much as Vlad's. This would never have happened if she hadn't come into his son's life.

Vlad pleaded with her, "Erin go back." She couldn't do this, she couldn't come to him.

Erin didn't hear him, her mind focussed on the pain and getting to Vlad's side. Her chest began to clench, it felt as if someone was squeezing her heart and her gasps became even more laboured.

Bertrand was the one who grabbed her pulling her backwards until she was roughly six feet away from Vlad once more. Immediately she felt the pain leave her, she straightened but was still gasping as her body slowly calmed down. "You can't go near him." Bertrand told her softly, he lowered his voice even further as he continued seeing her look of confusion. "Not now." He glared at the Count but the Count actually seemed thrilled at the thought of Erin and Vlad being separated.

Clearly the main goal of Vlad's punishment.

He looked down at his heir, seeing the way Vlad was reacting to his punishment. The Count walked away from his son, leaving the room completely the other vampires following him. Bertrand let out a hiss of defiance, Ingrid following mere seconds later.

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Erin tried to pull from Bertrand but he tightened his grip, he felt her wince and immediately hoped Vlad understood that he hadn't meant it this time. He loosened his grip and instead locked his right arm around her waist and his left one over her shoulder. Ingrid moved to her brother and knelt down. Her leather dress creaked as she did so.

Vlad was looking down his head dropped low. Ingrid could see his shoulder's shaking violently. His hands were clasped between his knees, he rocked back and forth from his knees to his feet.

Ingrid lifted her brother's chin with her index and middle finger, immediately she felt wetness on the pads of her fingers. Vlad didn't cry. He fought her as she tried to force his head up but she won. It sickened her to know that she had to tap into her powers to do that.

Ingrid moved a trembling hand to his neck; she pulled at the collar before letting out a gasp as it tightened a fraction. Vlad let out a choked cry, he hadn't expected that either. It was clearly a built in mechanism to make sure that the collar couldn't be tampered with.

She turned away forcing the bile that rose in her throat back down. The sight of it made her feel sick; it was polished to the finest degree. He looked like nothing more than a common dog on a leash. She dragged her eyes back up to her brother's; tears clung to his eyelashes, falling slowly to the floor. His cheeks had streams of water cascading down them. His eyes were swollen and black, he tried to screw his eyes up further and duck his head back down but Ingrid moved her hand until she had the palm of her hand under his jaw and her thumb on one side of his jaw and fingers on the opposite side to ensure he couldn't move. She could feel him fighting her but he tired quickly.

In his eyes she could see despair and hopelessness. She wished that she could say or do something to help him but his fate was in their father's hands. "I'm sorry." She whispered, she knew why this punishment had been handed out.

He looked away, he nodded imperceptivity. He'd never dreamed that the Count would do this to him… to Erin… to them, at least not in this way.

It was evil at its fullest.

Ingrid pulled her brother towards her, feeling his arms wrap around her trying to seek comfort in something. Ingrid knew she wasn't who Vlad wanted to hold but it was all that he could have. She felt him bury his face in her hair. She could feel the cold collar against her own neck, she suppressed the shudders that threatened to wrack her body.

"Ingrid, Erin needs to know." Bertrand told her softly, Erin needed to know everything about the collar.

Ingrid looked towards Vlad, "Argentalium gives off a form of radiation that stops vampire abilities being tapped into, makes part of our DNA dormant." She tried to use terms Erin would understand. "As long as Vlad's wearing the collar he's giving off that radiation."

"I've been near argentalium before." Erin reminded her, it hadn't felt like this though. She rubbed her stomach feeling the phantom pain radiating there.

"Not while you were pregnant and not near argentalium this pure. The baby's isn't developed enough to handle it. Erin, argentalium this pure can only be handled by full, transformed vampires. You're only half vampire Erin. It's turning off more of your DNA than your body can handle, your mortal DNA is fighting back, that puts stress on your heart."

Erin looked at Vlad, he mouthed an apology to her. He never thought this would happen. She felt her own tears slip down her face; she didn't move her hands to wipe them away.

The Count had separated them in the cruellest way possible.

Vlad couldn't go anywhere near Erin wearing it.

If she did it would kill her and the baby.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	77. Too Cruel

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_All I can say about today's is… I loved it! Seven days to go and counting until 4x02…_

_It was Vlad/Erin heaven and unfortunately three story plots have been inspired by it._

_Answering a few questions: People have been asking me to write a Wolfblood fanfic, I'm sorry but the answer is no. There was something about the programme that just didn't catch my interest; I found I just didn't like it. It might be that I'm not that into werewolves. Sorry if I've disappointed you._

Chapter 75: Too Cruel

Erin made a move to pull from Bertrand, "I'm going to talk to the Count." Bertrand grabbed her arms and pulled her back to him, stopping her from going anywhere. "Let go of me!" She shouted, trying to break free of the older vampire's hold on her.

Bertrand leant down to whisper gently in her ear, "Going after the Count won't change anything. Vlad will still have that collar around his neck." Bertrand watched Vlad tense in his sister's embrace, the words affecting him. "And you'll be putting you and the baby in danger. The Count is teaching Vlad a lesson, make him think Vlad's learning it."

"Vlad doesn't need to be taught a lesson!" Erin snapped. "This is cruel even for him."

There was no denying that, it was out of character for the Count to punish Vlad in such a way. However Vlad had committed a severe disgrace on his family by getting Erin in her current condition, Draculas loved their pride.

"I need to speak to him." She struggled once more but she couldn't move herself from the older vampire's grip. Bertrand held her loosely compared to how he'd held others in the past but he was still concerned he'd leave bruises on her. He didn't want to hurt her.

Bertrand looked across at Ingrid, she nodded pulling away from her brother, "We'll talk to him."

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Bertrand didn't wait for permission to speak. "You had no right to do that to them!" He shouted angrily, "No father treats their child that way, not even vampires."

"Vlad made a mistake, they both did and they're dealing with it together. Neither of them want to lose their child. Can you honestly see Vlad with someone else? Erin makes him happy." Ingrid told him firmly, "I've never seen Vlad so comfortable with who he is."

The Count set his newspaper down lazily, he looked at Bertrand and Ingrid with a passive face. "Vlad being comfortable isn't going to help him rule our kind. He needs discipline and it's been long overdue."

Bertrand shook his head, "I told you that months ago but you choose now to do it?" The Count shrugged, it was a delayed punishment but a necessary one.

"This is cruel even for you!" Ingrid snapped at the Count,

The Count looked at his eldest child blankly, "If Vlad hadn't gone near that half fang then he wouldn't have had to suffer the consequences."

"Is this just about Erin being pregnant or are you punishing him because he won't do things your way?" The Count didn't answer, Vlad would never do things the Count's way. Even when he promised to he always found a way around them. "I don't know whether you've noticed but Vlad isn't like us. He can't be forced into anything. Every time you try to push him he pulls further away."

"How do you think Vlad will react when he can't hold her when she loses the baby?" Bertrand asked him. It was a valid question. Vlad would want to be by Erin's side if they hadn't found a way out of that particular predicament. "You said you don't want your son to hate you but the longer you keep that collar on him the more he'll hate you."

The Count bristled and Bertrand knew he'd hit the mark. The Count never wanted his son to hate him but this time he'd gone too far. Bertrand knew that Vlad had only retaliated on those who'd hurt him before and if a certain side of him emerged Vlad would let him take complete control when he face the Count.

"You'd better watch your step Bertrand." The Count warned lowly with an outstretched hand. It was about time the tutor learned his place, especially after betraying Vlad.

Ingrid pushed Bertrand backwards; she knew her next comment would raise Bertrand's hackles. "I protect him as a Dracula." Ingrid ground out, "That means you can't touch him."

"Like you protected your half fang last time?" The Count asked her, he couldn't deny his daughter's claim. Vlad protected Erin in the same way. To her credit Ingrid didn't respond to that jibe, she ignored it instead. He picked up the newspaper he'd discarded earlier, he lifted it up. "Vlad's punishment still stands."

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Vlad looked at Ingrid and Bertrand he knew it wouldn't work, things clearly had to play out as they were supposed to. Although he was growing tired of constantly being poked in the neck at the moment.

Jonno looked at the collar, he didn't touch it as Ingrid had described what had happened in very vivid detail but he poked the skin above and below it. He hadn't seen a collar like this before, he'd heard of them but they were more hassle than they were worth. Technology had been developed that made them redundant, they could control a vampire easier without a collar and with less harm to the slayer that tried to subdue the vampire in question.

"Can you take it off?"

He studied it once more, looking for anything that might indicate a failsafe to take it off. "This one's been modified." Jonno didn't know that they could be modified, he'd never actually seen one in its 3D form but he'd seen the blueprints for them. They were barbaric.

"Can you take it off?" Vlad asked again, looking at Erin. His gaze remained locked on hers.

"I've never seen one made with argentalium this pure."

"Believe me when it's off I'm destroying it." Vlad growled out under his breath, he couldn't decide between a fireball or destroying it with his bare hands. He might even let Ingrid help, she'd seemed as angry as him at his being forced to wear it.

"Can't you cut into it to remove it?" Erin asked from her position on the sofa, she wanted desperately to be by Vlad's side in all of this.

Mina scanned it quickly. "There are three veins of garlic running through reinforced argentalium. If we break it off then it will burn through Vlad's skin, it'll kill him."

Vlad let out a frustrated huff of air, "So the only way it will come off is if Dad removes it."

"And until then Erin can't be near you." Jonno repeated the information from earlier. He saw the devastation appear in the young vampire's eyes, he clearly didn't want to be parted from Erin.

Jonno and Mina had been brought up to date on what had happened when Ingrid had fetched them in the hope that they might be able to help Vlad.

He looked to Erin, he couldn't believe that she was a type of half fang, she seemed more normal than anyone else. It explained why she felt so at ease amongst the vampires when it should have made her skin crawl.

Her skin had always felt cooler than his and her skin was paler than a usual slayer's. Now he knew what the Guild had been so desperate to hide and he hated that they'd hid that from her. She should have been raised amongst her own kind as painful as that was to admit. The Guild had no right to turn her against her own kind and he supposed that it was probably the reason she'd sided with Vlad – deep down she knew she was like them.

Mina sat down next to Erin, "How do you feel?" She asked her softly.

"Like I want Vlad." She muttered looking at her boyfriend across the room from her. Vlad's gaze fixed with hers and he smiled softly at her.

"You're pregnant?" Mina asked quietly, Erin nodded slowly. "This is why Vlad's being punished."

"I know it's disgusting to you…"

Mina took Erin's hand and squeezed it gently, Erin looked at her in surprise not expecting a reaction like that. "It isn't disgusting."

"I thought you didn't approve of me being with him." Erin snapped. "You should be glad, my child will be dead before long and the Guild will have its reputation back…"

Mina grabbed Erin's arm, while she didn't approve of the choices Erin had made she couldn't imagine what Erin must be going through. "Nothing good comes from the death of a child," She looked to Vlad who looked pitiful across the other side of the room, even as a slayer the sight made her feel sick. No one had a right to do that to their own kind. "Tell me one thing:" Erin nodded accepting her questioning, "Would you change anything that has happened?"

Her answer was immediate, hardly a breath at between the end of Mina's question and her reply. "No."

"Erin you're like Vlad. What the Guild thinks doesn't apply anymore." She was no longer bound by the rules of the Guild or the pressures that she was under before. She was officially a vampire subject now and that changed things.

"I'm not like him properly though am I? I'm mortal and I can't carry this child…"

"If you think like that then it'll be true. Children are a blessing, you wouldn't be having Vlad's if you couldn't carry it or you couldn't find a way to be able to."

Erin shrugged lightly, "I don't know where to start looking."

Mina opened her mouth to speak but it wasn't her voice that came from her lips.

"VLADIMIR!"

He was being summoned.

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Renfield closed the door behind him with a bang, Vlad wanted to hiss at him but he remembered to restrain himself. He let out a low rumble, not quite restraining himself like he'd hoped. He felt like a domestic animal on a leash. He was a vampire and vampires couldn't be caged.

Vlad looked at the Count with barely restrained loathing on his face, "What do you want?" He bit out furiously.

"I want you to see the error of your ways."

Vlad looked up at him, "I'm not a child."

"Until you're eighteen you are."

"I'm Vladimir Dracula, Dominus Imperator Electus." Vlad reminded him, he hated those three Latin words that tumbled from his lips. He hated the title that they'd attached to the end of his name like a university degree. "You know the translation, Chosen Lord Emperor. I was chosen to be our ruler, you can't stop that."

The Count knew that, "I can stop you from making more mistakes. You've made enough with that half fang thing." Vlad wanted to snap that Erin wasn't a thing, like he'd done before but he didn't know how the Count was going to react.

Vlad yanked at the collar, wincing as it tightened a fraction, he needed to make a point. "When are you going to take this off me? I need to be near Erin and the baby, if something happens to them…"

The Count waved his hand in the air, cutting his son off completely. "You know the answer to that Vladimir." The Count looked at his son, "When you've sorted out this mess that you've made."

He tipped his head before speaking sarcastically, "And how am I supposed to do that?" There was nothing wrong about his relationship with Erin.

The Count raised a sceptical eyebrow and quirked his lips. "I'm sure you'll think of something Vladimir."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	78. Would Give

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'm aiming for 100 chapters._

_I hope no one minds the length, I'm a little miffed it's so long. It was only 30 on paper._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 76: Would Give

The sound of the pouring rain was hypnotic as it pounded against the window panes, seeping in between the small gaps in the frame. Down below she could see the moonlight reflected in the puddles, the way the rain struck the puddles was like fairies dancing.

Gentle knocking made Erin lift her head from where it was pillowed beneath her arms. She turned her head towards the door, everything was silent once more. It must have been the rain.

The knocking came again, this time louder and more insistent.

With a groan she pulled herself from the coffin and moved over to the door, her legs felt tired and heavy. She hadn't realised that she'd been standing so long that a rest would numb them completely.

She went to open the door, succeeding a fraction but it was soon wrenched out of her hands and slammed shut.

"Don't open the door." Came a command on the other side.

"Vlad?" She instinctively took a step back, "You can't be near me…"

"There's something in between us blocking the collar. It's fine." He spoke lowly; Erin immediately pressed herself against the door trying to get as close to him as possible.

"I love you." He reminded her quietly, "Dad putting this on me won't change that."

Erin leaned back against the door, willing herself not to cry. If either of them were locked away it would have been easier to handle, they'd only be allowed to see each other at times when they could sneak down but like this they could see each other all the time but not touch each other.

"It's not fair." She muttered through it, her words were heavy as her throat thickened with unshed tears.

"I know." Came the slightly muffled reply on the other side. "Dad won't keep me for long like this." He assured her.

Erin let out a snort, "How do you know?" There was no way he could know that for certain.

"I know Dad." Vlad answered trying to sound certain. He wasn't sure how long the Count would be mad at him. He'd been told to find a way to sort out the 'mess' he'd created, he knew how to do that so there was every possibility that he wouldn't be like it for much longer.

"Can you lower your fangs?" Erin asked, a fear suddenly gripping her. He needed to lower them to drink. He never showed them when he drank; she knew it was a reflex. In the old church she'd seen them but

"I haven't tried." He answered,

"Try now." She asked or rather demanded of him. There was silence on the other side of the door. The longer the silence the more panicked she grew. "Vlad?" The she heard violent coughing, she wanted to open the door but she would be exposed to the radiation. "Vlad what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" He managed to force out but began coughing again, if Erin hadn't known better she'd think he was choking.

"You can't lower your fangs can you?" He needed his fangs to absorb the nutrients in the soy blood.

He considered lying but she could always tell in his voice and she'd find out sooner or later. "No."

He was prepared for the question that assaulted him, "How will you feed…"

"I told you Dad won't keep me like this for long."

Erin didn't care about that. "How long does it take before you starve?"

"Erin it will take a couple of days, I can't bite anyone like this. Dad won't let me starve."

Erin wasn't entirely sure about that. "He's pretty angry with us."

Vlad decided to change the subject slightly, "I miss you." Vlad told her through the door, he really did miss her. It was silly, he'd taken being able to touch her for granted.

Erin smiled, she missed him too. She wanted the wall between them torn down. "This feels like flapping Doctor Who." Erin muttered loud enough for Vlad to hear, both of them on a side of the wall but not being able to touch.

He chuckled at her curse before asking about her reference, "Doctor what?"

She laughed as she imagined his completely confused face, the way his eyebrows furrowed and his forehead crinkled. The thought immediately made her mood sour. "Never mind.

Silence reigned between them for a few minutes once more. It grew uneasy; they'd never had a silence quite this uncomfortable before.

Vlad pushed himself from the floor and leaned against the old wooden door, it creaked under his weight. "Can I come in?"

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Ingrid slammed the door to the blood cellar as hard as she could before turning around quickly. Not paying much attention when she did it she ended up crashing into someone's chest. Judging by the lack of 'oomph' she knew that it must be a vampire, by the lack of insults it clearly wasn't the Count. However judging from the fact her nose was pressed against their chest there was only one person left who was taller than her – Bertrand. She looked up at him seeing concern on his face.

Bertrand had never seen her so relaxed, if that was the right word, usually she'd be sounding off at whoever she'd walked into but she actually seemed quite subdued. This wasn't the Ingrid he was used to.

"You seem a little…" He tried to find a word that she wouldn't take as an insult, "Preoccupied." He lifted her chin, growing even more concerned as she didn't seem to respond at all.

Ingrid reached up to Bertrand; looping her hand around his neck she pulled his head downwards. Their lips slammed against each other's.

Bertrand wasn't gentle and for that she was grateful, she didn't like being treated like a delicate flower – well maybe sometimes, but she appreciated power and control.

She gasped as she felt his left arm tighten around her waist and his right move up to the back of her neck as he stooped to kiss her. Bertrand pushed her backwards, one step, two, three, four steps. She let out a groan as she felt the cool, stone masonry of the basement wall digging into her back. Sharp stones tore at her dress and she didn't care one bit.

Ingrid pulled back, "Stay with me tonight."

"Your father will slay me Ingrid." Bertrand told her quietly. The Count wouldn't hesitate in killing him if he found out.

Ingrid's eyes widened. "I don't mean that." She whispered, suddenly feeling embarrassed. She hadn't phrased herself properly. "I… I'm not… I don't think…"

Bertrand felt relief; it wasn't what he'd thought she was asking. "You're not ready." He finished, feeling guilty for misunderstanding.

"I'm sorry."

Bertrand caught her face and pulled it up to his, "Don't be."

"Erin and Vlad are expecting, I don't want to be in the same position." She watched expecting him to react to her words, she ploughed on trying to clarify herself and not hurt him, "I want children I just don't want them yet. At least not until everything is sorted with the Slayers and Ramanga." Her voice dropped lower, "I don't want Dad to do to you what he's done to Vlad."

Bertrand let her continue, it was better to hear her out than interrupt, when he was convinced she'd finished he finally spoke. "I don't have anything to support you or a family yet." He brushed a kiss to her forehead, "I can wait Ingrid. I'm four hundred years older than you; I can wait a little longer."

"I'm sorry." She repeated, she hadn't meant to lead him on.

Bertrand stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, she leaned into his touch. "You've got nothing to be sorry for."

"Erin's braver than me, she and Vlad…" She hated to say those words; she hated the thought of another woman being braver than her.

"Are different to us." He finished, "They've been together since practically she arrived. They were ready to take that step, we're not. It's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm from a different time Ingrid, I'm traditional. Values were instilled in me and my sister, I have to stick to those values even thought I love you. Beatrice was killed because she refused to be a mistress; she refused to sleep with someone outside of her marriage. You, Vlad and Erin aren't bound by those laws."

Ingrid was a little confused at his contradiction of himself. "Are you saying marriage first?"

"I'm saying we both need to be ready and not try to force it to match your brother and Erin." He took her hand, "I'll stay with you but nothing more tonight."

Ingrid let a soft smile cover her face, nodding. She could handle that.

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The question came again. "Can I come inside?"

Erin shook her head, throwing her weight more against the door, in this state she had a good chance of stopping him entering the room, although his muscles had built up from his training with Bertrand. "It's not a good idea Vlad."

He didn't let that stop him, "Only for a minute. I need to look at you when I talk to you. After that I'll go back." He took a breath, his mind was made up he needed to do this. "Please Erin, just one minute."

There was no answer, just silence. He wished he could brush his mind against hers to see if he could tell what she was thinking.

Suddenly the door opened a fraction, clicking as the latch slid out of the lock in the frame. It swayed a fraction with the remaining force that had opened it. He mentally counted to ten before pushing the door open completely and entering the room to make sure that she was far enough back.

Erin stood at the head of the coffin and he by the foot of it. There was about six foot of space between them, ample distance to keep them apart to prevent the collar affecting her.

Erin's eyes were drawn to the glittering collar or at least where it was positioned, Vlad had slipped a turtle neck jumper on so no one could see it. He'd never had reason to hide his neck before and she hated that he was forced to now.

She wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to protect the child once more. Vlad winced at the subconscious notion that Erin was actually having to protect herself and their child from him. He never wanted her to experience that again.

She noticed him looking at her arms and tried to distract him (and herself), "What did you want to talk to me about?"

He slowly brought his eyes up to hers. "Erin, will you be my life mate?"

Erin blinked, trying to understand the question. His eyes told her the gravity of his question. When it sank in she didn't know how to feel.

He was asking her to marry him.

He was asking her to be by his side for the rest of her natural life. She felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of the love in his eyes. She reached out to touch him before remembering that she couldn't.

She looked at Vlad, only one word on her lips. There was only one answer she would give.

"No."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	79. Something Stupid

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I went to Scarefest at Alton Towers, I love it, we go every Halloween. While I was queuing for the rapids I saw some people dressed as Erin, Vlad, Ingrid and Bertrand. I couldn't help but grin as the ones dressed as Vlad and Erin had 'Romeo' and 'Juliet' pinned to their backs._

_As you can tell I was there for the last couple of days. I've also carved my pumpkins and I did a YD crest this year (along with a puddle jumper and a cyberman)._

Chapter 77: Something Stupid

Ingrid stretched a fraction before finding another comfortable spot. She closed her eyes and took in the safe smell around her. She tried to move her legs but found she couldn't, there wasn't enough room.

The thought of not being able to move her lower half made her panic, even more so as the base of coffin moved.

Ingrid snapped up in the coffin, her throat clenching in panic and fear. The moment she was upright she immediately took a defensive position. She decided then that she was going to be the one who attacked first, she launched her arm out but it was caught firmly in a grip.

"Looks like someone will need some training." A humour filled voice spoke from below her. Ingrid felt herself relax as the panic cleared. She clicked her fingers and immediately the candles lit, illuminating the room in a soft glow.

Worry filled her as she realised that she could have hurt Bertrand if he hadn't been awake. She couldn't bear hurting him. "Sorry."

"Don't apologise." Bertrand didn't like apologies. "It's new to me too." They'd literally slept next to each other nothing more, how Vlad and Erin had adapted to a physical relationship baffled him completely.

Ingrid shook her head, he didn't understand. "I could have broken something." She could have broken his nose or his cheek or even a rib.

"I would've healed." He answered; he gave a shrug as if it was no big deal. It made Ingrid wonder about his past. There were things he wouldn't share, usually things about the battlefields and he took some prodding to open up about his past.

Ingrid straddled him, she didn't want to chance him escaping as she asked her next question. "How often have you been hurt?"

He shook his head and sighed, this wasn't something he wanted to answer. "Ingrid…" She folded her arms over her chest, she wasn't going to let him get away with not answering her. "Enough times not to let it bother me." He brought a hand up to her cheek, running his fingers through her hair, "I healed then and I'll heal again."

She wasn't entirely happy with his answer; no one should be that nonchalant with pain.

He drew her back down to him, she came willingly a smile crossing her lips.

"BERTRAND!"

Ingrid pulled back, her fangs snapping into existence at being interrupted. She rested her forehead on his shoulder. "You'd better see what Dad wants."

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Vlad couldn't hide his surprise; it wasn't exactly the response he'd been looking for. "What?" He made a move towards her but Erin countered it stepping backwards. He looked confused at first before remembering the collar that was digging into his neck.

"You heard me Vlad." She was angry with him, angrier than she ever thought she could be with him. "I said 'no'."

He was confused, "I thought you loved me?" If she loved him why would she say no?

Erin's eyes blazed angrily, "Don't try that one on me Vladimir Dracula. You know the answer to that."

"Then why won't you marry me?"

Fury blazed across her face. "Because you're only asking me because I'm pregnant!" That hurt her more than she could express, she wanted him to ask her when they were both ready and not before.

That had a small part to do with it, he couldn't deny that. The Count had told him to fix it and he was doing it in his own way. "I don't want to be with anyone else…"

She scoffed, "But you wouldn't have asked if I wasn't pregnant!" She shouted louder this time at him, he winced at her tone. "I'm not marrying you so you can do the right thing. I've fallen Vlad and dragged you down with me but I'm not getting mated so everything can be all right because it's what your family wants."

He blinked, his voice slightly nervous, "Who says this has anything to do with them?"

"I know you Vlad, better than you know yourself. Your Dad probably told you to ask me or at least fix this." From the way he looked away she knew she was right. She hated the fact that he'd followed what they'd wanted. "What's the point if I'll lose the baby anyway?"

He was tired of her assuming that she was going to lose their child. The odds were against them but they'd been against them before. He'd find a way to make sure the child was brought safely into the world. "Because I want us to be a family!" He snarled at her, why couldn't she see that it only had a small part to play? "I want to be able to call you my wife when we present our child to our world. I want you to be by my side as my mate. The baby binds us together already I want to take that next step."

Erin folded her arms over her chest, "Are you really telling me you're ready for that?"

He hesitated, "Yes."

"Liar." She retorted under her breath.

Vlad's eyes narrowed. "I heard that." He folded his own arms over his chest in a defensive position, "Okay then, when do you want to get married? Or should that be: when would you prefer I propose?"

Erin felt the breath leave her, she wasn't sure what to say. "Who says we have to?"

Vlad rolled his tongue in his mouth, "I come from a home where my parents aren't married and look how that's turned out. I want the best for our daughter…" He paused as the collar shifted, unfortunately Erin reacted to his pause taking it to mean something else.

"Daughter? So you've decided it's a girl?"

"You didn't let me finish!" He growled yanking at the collar trying to loosen it, the sight of it only served to make Erin angrier. "Or son." Vlad wanted to defend himself. "I don't want to go through the next hundred years without us mating!" He told her firmly, humiliation and rejection doing the talking for him. He didn't care that he sounded domineering in that moment.

Erin felt hurt sweeping her, she felt like she was being pushed into a corner. Trapped into agreeing to something. "So you're making the decisions? What happened to us being equal?! What if I never want to be mated?" She was reacting just to be argumentative now.

Vlad's argument wasn't exactly his strongest. "You've decided that now? You're seventeen!" She couldn't honestly have decided that right now.

"So are you!" She shouted back, he was a few months older than her but she didn't think he could make a decision like that when she couldn't. "I'm not going to make a decision because of this to make others happy. We've already taken a step that's got you punished."

He took her words to mean that she didn't want the child. "Are you saying you don't want this anymore? That you don't want us anymore?"

Erin blinked, how could he think that she didn't want to be with him? She loved him. "NO!" She screamed irately. "I'm just not going to be pressured into anything I don't want."

"So I'm pressuring you?" He just wanted to know why she said 'no', he wanted the real reason behind it and he wasn't getting it.

This was just an argument that wouldn't end, each was being hurt by the other's comments and before too long things really would turn a corner that they couldn't come back from. They were reacting to each other's anger.

Erin shook her whole body, she turned back and forth deciding what to do. "I can't talk to you when you're like this."

She stormed towards him, forcing him to move out of the way so he wouldn't hurt her. She wrenched the door open before slamming the door shut leaving him alone in the room.

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Bertrand stood tall as the Count stared him down, "You defied me." Three small words that held a unveiled threat in them.

Bertrand didn't regret his actions, "I did what I thought was right."

"I'm the one in charge until Vladimir comes of age…"

"And afterwards by the looks of it." Bertrand answered boldly, the Count did a double take. Bertrand had never been so confrontational.

"Ingrid's protection won't last forever." He couldn't touch him while his daughter protected the vampire in front of him. "She'll see another vampire and move on."

"I don't need or want her to protect me. I did what I thought was right." He was calm as he spoke, he never wanted to be involved in this family feud, he hated the conflict. "If you want to punish me for that then do it now." Bertrand told him boldly, the Count was well within his rights to have him executed for treason.

"I haven't decided yet what I'm going to do with you." The Count already knew what he was going to do to Vlad's tutor but he wasn't going to reveal it yet. All in good time. The Count decided to try another tactic. "You've started a relationship with my daughter. Does she know that you have no prospects? You'll never be able to marry her."

Bertrand looked directly at the Count, unlike him he told Ingrid everything up front. "She knows and we're working on that together."

"Wouldn't it be kinder to end it now than when she's too involved?" The Count asked him.

Bertrand didn't blink, he'd tried to convince Ingrid that they couldn't go anywhere until he had something to support her but she didn't really listen. "Ingrid's stubborn. She's decided that she's getting involved now."

"I trust she's not in the same condition as Erin?"

"I'm not Vlad." Bertrand told the Count, "I don't let my emotions control me." He never had in the past but there was a fear that they were going to start controlling him now. "If anything happens between me and Ingrid it'll be after a wedding."

The Count nodded briskly accepting his answer, "Now get out while I finish deciding your punishment."

Bertrand nodded, bowing, unsure exactly why he'd been summoned in the first place. He slowly turned away, not willing to show the Count how eager he was to leave the room before walking out. He pulled the door closed behind him before closing his eyes briefly in relief. It could have been worse. However to Bertrand the Count's wrath was nothing compared to Vlad's.

Bertrand nearly slammed into a smaller figure as he pulled away from the doors. He could have hurt them if he'd sped of instantly, luckily he hadn't.

Erin looked up at Bertrand, she didn't seem to notice that the older vampire had nearly walked into her. "Is he in there?" She asked him in clipped tones.

Bertrand glanced of his shoulder instinctively checking Vlad hadn't entered the room while he wasn't looking. The door was still closed. He shook his head slowly. "Just the Count…" He didn't get to finish.

"Perfect." She muttered before pushing past him and storming into the room.

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Ingrid heard something outside of her room, Bertrand would have re-entered if it was him. It was a shuffling noise. Cautiously she edged towards the door, she looked for something she could grab. She shook her head then for feeling so breatherish, she had fangs whoever it was wouldn't last five minutes against her… unless it was Ramanga – or Bertrand.

She counted to three mentally before yanking her door open. She surveyed the corridor before noticing the figure skulking at the end. He looked forlorn and irate. Her brother was tugging on his door trying to open it in a hurry, not remembering that he had to push it to enter his room.

Ingrid sped behind him but he hadn't seemed to notice at all that she was there. He only noticed when she placed a hand on top of his and he jumped as she turned the handle and pushed the door open.

"Vlad…" Ingrid began softly, intending on asking him what was wrong.

Vlad needed to talk to someone. "I thought she'd say yes."

"Say yes to what?" Ingrid was confused, Vlad didn't answer her at first. "You didn't?" She muttered in disbelief, there was only one thing that Vlad could have wanted a 'yes' for an answer to. "You didn't try to do the right thing?" Vlad shrugged and looked down, Ingrid shook her head. Only her brother could be so stupid.

"I asked her to be my mate."

She couldn't believe her brother could be so stupid. He'd let the Count and his sense of right get to him. It wasn't an ideal world they lived in and sometimes she was convinced that her baby brother forgot that. "You fogging, stupid, breather loving, garlic muncher!"

Why was Ingrid so angry with him? "What?"

Ingrid heard a whoosh behind her and knew that Bertrand had returned from his 'talk' with her father. She didn't acknowledge him just berated her brother before she forgot what she wanted to say to him.

"Erin was officially a normal slayer until a week ago, then she found out her parents were murdered and she's a vampire, a week before that she found out she was pregnant, she's been told that she will lose your child, she had to deal with both sides of you, you're being punished because of what's happened and you top it off by asking her to mate with you!" Ingrid shouted at him in practically one breath, she didn't pause the way a breather would have. "Of course she was going to say no! There's no other answer she would give you."

She couldn't help herself she hit her brother hard around the back of the head.

"Ingrid!" Vlad cried as his head snapped forward, the collar shifting uncomfortably.

"Bertrand, talk to him." Bertrand hadn't been convinced that Ingrid had heard him return, he was glad she had some sense of awareness about her in that respect.

He was becoming the voice of reason recently and he wasn't sure it was a role he wanted. "Erin's been through more in the last few months than in her entire life. She's having to see herself and her world differently. Asking her to mate with you probably is what made her snap. Erin needs time to think things through."

Ingrid looked at Vlad, "Did you actually mention a date of mating when you asked her?"

"I said something about her being my wife when we presented the baby… OW INGRID!" He cried sharply as he received another clip around the back of his head. "Bertrand?!" Vlad asked looking to his mentor for support. Bertrand simply did the same as Ingrid and hit him around the back of the head as well. "Will you stop doing that?!" He snapped at them both, he didn't miss the smirks the couple gave each other.

"So Erin thinks there's a deadline." Ingrid tried another tactic with her idiot brother. "Look at it from Erin's point of view, she's more mortal than vampire, she can't be a true wife to you and she's just waiting to miscarry. She doesn't see the point of mating with you no matter how much she loves you. She doesn't want to put you through that. She thinks you'll be considered a joke for choosing someone like her." Ingrid paused, in Erin's place she'd act exactly the same.

"That's stupid!" He couldn't believe Erin would think that. No matter who he picked vampires would hate it. He cared about her and how she felt about him, he didn't let others influence that and he thought she knew that now.

"She's lived with slayers Vlad, she's bound to have picked up stupid traits." Ingrid spoke as a matter of fact. "Vlad can you tell me one hundred percent that you are ready to take that step with Erin?"

Vlad looked downwards at his hands, "I don't know, but I know I don't want to leave her."

Bertrand looked at Vlad, "Did Erin say or do anything that might have made you think she doesn't want the same?" Vlad shook his head, Erin had never said or done anything to suggest she wanted to end their relationship. "Then don't push her in something neither of you are ready for. You'll push her away completely."

"You need to apologise before Erin does something stupid." Ingrid told her brother.

Bertrand realised that now might be the best time to inject a comment putting two and two together. "Too late." Bertrand answered, "Erin's already on the war path."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	80. Getting Confusing

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Unfortunately inspiration has struck again so there might be another story being posted soon._

_I'm just ironing out the details; my mom made another comment after watching the programme on Monday and suggested that I write a story about it. Unfortunately I couldn't resist. It will only be a short one (at least I hope so – not many chapters involved). 'Dividing Magnets' will be the title (not very good I admit but it will make sense)._

_I hope no one minds._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 78: Getting Confusing

Vlad was worried now, "Where's Erin?"

Bertrand winced, he should have said it sooner. "Gone to see your father."

Vlad kicked the edge of his coffin firmly, wincing as he felt his foot crack and the dull 'thunk' echoed around the room. Without his powers he couldn't withstand kicking something like that. "You let her go alone?" He couldn't believe Bertrand would let her go in by herself. "To see Dad?"

"The Count won't hurt her." Bertrand told him, the Count wouldn't dare touch Erin or he'd have all of them to answer to.

"I'm not worried about Dad hurting her!" Vlad snapped, the Count had chosen to punish him and not Erin in so many words. Erin had his future inside her and the Count wouldn't dare jeopardise that. "Erin's in a temper I'm more concerned with her getting herself even more worked up and hurting herself!"

Ingrid realised that Vlad should remember who got her into that state in the first place, "You wound her up to this Vlad."

"Thanks for reminding me Ingrid." His sister was right, Erin would never have gone to see the Count if he hadn't made her angry by pressing her for a reason for why she said no.

"You're welcome." She smiled at her brother.

Vlad turned towards the Count's study, his throat tightened. "I'll slay her if she's hurt herself." He muttered under his breath before jogging off down the corridor towards his father hoping that Erin hadn't been as stupid as he thought.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Erin burst into the Count's study, not bothering to knock or wait for an invitation inside. "Get out!"

She stood her ground in front of his desk, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Go away slayer." He told her firmly knowing that the word could insult her.

"You do realise that one side of Vlad's starting to use that as an endearment for me?" She smiled sweetly at him, watching as he bristled. She didn't consider it offensive when Vlad said it but she did when everyone else said it although she wasn't willing to tell them that.

"FINE!" He shouted angrily and threw the papers he was reading down. "What do you want?" He asked resting his head on his hands, "No wait, let me guess… this is about Vlad's punishment." His tone was patronising as he spoke and it made the former slayer grind her teeth in annoyance.

Erin looked him directly in the eye, "I want you to take the collar off Vlad, he doesn't deserve that. He doesn't deserve to be punished for something that should never have happened."

The Count shook his head. "With that collar he's learning about controlling his desires." Vlad knew the rules, he was forbidden from sleeping with her until he was eighteen. He was underage in their culture. This was why it was forbidden – to stop vampires having children before they were considered adults.

"Every day he's wearing that collar its killing him. I love him, you know he loves me he's told you often enough."

"He might as well put it on tape." The Count muttered under his breath, he'd heard it often enough from him.

"If this is anyone's fault its mine." Erin told him boldly, "I chose to come here. I should have left him when I had the chance but I didn't, I fell for him…"

Erin jumped as the Count slammed the palm of his hand down on the desk, the sound echoing around the small room. "Yes you should have left him!" The Count snapped at her, "You tricked my son into thinking you were a half fang," There was no excuse for the deception she'd brought on the family, she'd come to slay them those words had fallen from her lips – until she fell for his son. "He didn't find out until Bertrand found…"

"Vlad found out when he kissed me." She told the Count not batting an eyelid, "When you tried to roast me." The Count hadn't realised how long Vlad had known about Erin. He assumed that it was just before the book incident. "Vlad's not stupid although you seem to think he is."

"I don't think my son is stupid…"

"Then let him make his own choices and his own mistakes." Erin pleaded, "Don't punish him for something that was my fault as well." She placed a hand on her stomach, "He's young, I've ruined his unlife and I can't forgive myself for that no matter what Vlad says."

"Vlad was supposed to spend the next decade learning about his power and his duties as a ruler, instead he's going to be changing nappies… I brought my son up better than that. He's let me down and his kind because he couldn't control himself around you."

"Let him spend what little time we have with the baby together, Vlad thinks something can be done but…" She brought a hand up to her mouth, trying her hardest not to break down there and then.

"You don't." He finished. "He's always been an optimist." Vlad had always looked for the positive even when he was younger. Usually it paid off for him but this might be a time when it didn't. The Count didn't know how is son would respond to the loss that was facing him.

Erin seemed to understand what the Count was thinking. "I never meant for any of this." She told him slowly, "I never meant to fall in love with a vampire but I'm going to die in fifty years. I'm not becoming one of you."

The Count was taken aback, as if it was something he'd never considered. "Why not?" He'd assumed that now she knew what she was she'd want to be a full vampire.

"That has nothing to do with you." The reasons were private. She looked down, there was something she could offer the Count. Something that might entice him to let Vlad go. "I'll leave him if that's what it takes to remove the collar. After I lose the baby I'll walk away…" She couldn't believe she was suggesting it but she would do it if it meant that Vlad's punishment would end.

"No." The Count told her firmly and quickly, Erin looked up at him shock covering her face. The Count suddenly straightened, "It's too late for that. You walk away then you might as well take him with you. He'll go with you."

"I'll tell him I don't love him anymore, I'll make him stay…" She'd find a way if it meant keeping Vlad safe. It would hurt more than she would admit but she would do it.

The Count stood quickly, "You didn't see him without you, we did. He gave up Erin." The Count spoke quietly, "He didn't train, he didn't leave his room. Without you he won't be the vampire he can be."

Before she could say any more the heavy door flew open revealing an irate Vlad in its frame.

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Erin moved across the room and safely away from Vlad. She didn't want him interfering in this. It was something she had to do on her own. She wanted the Count to take the punishment from Vlad, it was ridiculous that in his culture he would get the blame for this when women usually got the blame for everything else.

The Count looked between them feeling the tense atmosphere in the room.

Vlad wanted to grab her and look into her eyes to talk to her. "What do you think you're doing?!" Vlad snapped at her angrily. He couldn't believe she could be so stupid, he was worried about her.

"Go away Vlad." She told her boyfriend firmly, she wouldn't look at him.

Vlad shook his head stepping as close as he could to her without affecting her. "Not until you've stopped being stupid!" He answered. "We need to talk." If he had to talk with the Count in the room the so be it.

"I think we said everything we needed to earlier." She growled at him, she could still feel her blood boiling.

He bit the inside of his cheek to help him speak more calmly, "I don't think we have."

Erin bit out the only comment that she could think of. She didn't want to call him a prat, that was her brother's word for him. "Don't be such a vampire." It was weak and would come back to bite her.

His eyes flashed, "It takes one to know one!" He snapped back without thinking. Erin bristled; he didn't feel any pleasure at that though. "I want to talk about why you said no."

"I don't want to talk about this Vlad."

He clenched his fists; he hated it when she was stubborn. "Well, I want to talk about it!"

Her face twisted into a sneer. "I DON'T!" She repeated loudly making him jump.

The Count interrupted then drawing them back a few lines in the conversation, he was confused. "Said 'no' to what?"

Erin turned slowly to look at the Count, "Vlad proposed to me."

The Count blinked, "I didn't think it'd be that quick." He didn't think Vlad would actually ask her that quickly, he thought Vlad would mull over it for at least a day before making a decision.

Erin folded her arms over her chest, "I said no."

His eyes widened, "Why not?" He looked between them, seeing matching expressions of raw hurt on their faces.

"It was my choice and… wait what?" She suddenly cottoned onto what the Count had said. He was looking at her like she'd gone mad.

He forced himself to speak quietly, although it was through gritted teeth. "You turned my son down? Why in garlic's name would you do that?" He looked outraged at her words, as if he'd wanted her to accept Vlad's proposal.

"Dad leave it." Vlad spoke gently; he didn't want the raw wound opened again even if he did understand now why she'd done it. Typically the Count ignored him.

Erin's brow furrowed even further. "I thought you'd be happy that I'm not mating with him…"

"You love him and he loves you why can't you just mate and be done with it?" Anyone could tell they didn't want to be parted from each other and this would formalise their relationship once and for all.

Erin poked the air violently as she spoke, she gestured with her right hand towards the collar he'd forced his son to wear. "You're punishing him for being with me and now you want us to be together?" She couldn't believe the Count. What was the point of Vlad being punished if the Count was going to object to her refusing his son? He really couldn't make up his mind what he wanted them to do. "Which one do you want?"

She was confused; this had been the source of far too many arguments in the recent months. He'd wanted her to go… but he had consented to her coming with them to Transylvania and now he was berating her for turning Vlad down.

The Count sighed the sigh of the long suffering; they might as well know the truth. He'd been backed well and truly into a corner. Everything was getting muddled and confused.

They might as well know what he was up to.

"I'm not doing this to punish Vlad." That definitely got Vlad's attention and his gaze hardened on the Count. Why was he wearing the blasted collar if it wasn't to punish him? "The collar is a means to an end." He paused; he supposed a small part of the collar was a punishment. He'd lied when he said it was to keep them apart from each other there were other motives he had for Vlad wearing it. "I'm evil but I'd never do that intentionally to my own son if I had a choice."

Erin was taken aback at that. It *was* punishing Vlad and that she couldn't understand. "Then why…"

She shared a look with Vlad, he seemed just as confused now as her.

"I'm doing this to save all of us," The Count moved closer to Erin, he placed a tender hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently, making her look up at him. "I'm doing this so Vlad can have a future… with you."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	81. Ultimate Bait

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'm hoping to have the other story up and running tomorrow, if not I will post after the new YD ep on Monday._

_As for what it's about…_

_I'm keeping that under wraps until I post…_

Chapter 79: Ultimate Bait

The only sound in the room that could be heard was the steady ticking of the ornate, gold filigree clock on the cold mantelpiece.

Vlad was positive that he'd just misheard what his father had said. "You're trying to give me a future with Erin?" He asked him quietly.

"Yes." The Count answered.

"Then why am I wearing this?" Vlad asked yanking hard on the collar, he choked as it tightened again and Erin winced at the sound. "I can't be near her with this on; it's hardly letting us be together is it?"

"I have my reasons Vladimir." The Count told his son sternly.

"And what reasons are those? I need to be near Erin, now more than ever." Vlad snarled, "I think you owe me an explanation." He deserved to know why the Count had taken this action if not to punish him.

Erin folded her arms over her chest matching his son's stance perfectly; he wasn't sure who had mimicked who in that moment.

The Count let out a groan. He couldn't have Vlad and Erin ganging up on him. Erin wasn't as fearless as Vlad but she could be fearsome. "Fine." He snapped at them both to their credit neither of them jumped. He'd honestly hoped that they wouldn't find out until the last minute. He didn't want either of them slipping up and revealing what he was up to if they knew. The Count looked at his son, "Do you think I don't know what Ingrid's been up to? That I didn't know that there was a reason behind Ramanga sending those imbeciles to 'protect' you? They want your power, to do that they want to wipe us out." I needed – and I still do – to draw them out…"

He'd known Ingrid was up to something when Ramanga had visited that very first time, there was something about their closeness that worried him. The way Ramanaga had seemed content with talking to Ingrid when they'd returned, his behaviour towards Ingrid should have been domineering and scathing instead they'd looked like equals. He knew his daughter was power hungry and she would have gone for any chance of taking power that she could lay her hands on. When Ramanga had sent those vampires to protect his son he knew they were there to spy on his son and daughter.

The final straw had been their attacking Erin; there had been no reason for them to hurt her at all. Their excuses had been pitiful when pulled up over it. It showed that they would attack his son without a moment's hesitation when they finally decided to do so.

Vlad understood the part he played in all of this. "So you made me powerless to do so." Everything clicked into place, he was defenceless and this would be the only chance they would have to attack him. No vampire could resist the opportunity to kill him.

It was the ultimate bait.

"If I had any other choice to protect you all I would have taken it." The Count promised his son, he would have gladly done something less extreme if there had been another way to lure them out of their lairs, "I didn't do this lightly Vladimir." The Count gave a shrug, "Ingrid clearly hasn't told them so obviously I'll have to. Although those guards should have done it by now." It was the reason he'd also employed the guards – to spread what he'd done to Vlad around their world to get Ramanga to show himself quicker. He wanted this over quickly, his son would be eighteen in a month and Vlad couldn't have any opposition, especially not now. Not now his son was having a family of his own. He looked at Vlad, "I never thought Ingrid would defend you, or Bertrand would for that matter." He tapped his jaw with his index finger as he spoke. It was puzzling to say the least. It was the very last thing he'd expected.

"Ingrid's trying to undo it." Vlad told him defending his older sister, "She told me everything. We had a plan." He muttered in annoyance, the Count had definitely not factored that into his plans.

"What kind of plan?"

Erin and Vlad shared a look, "That doesn't matter now." Vlad answered, he hadn't really wanted to tell him that it involved faking his death.

The Count needed more information on the traitors within his home. "And Bertrand? What part does he play in all of this?"

Erin spoke up from across the room, "Ingrid involved him, he didn't want to be part of it." She would defend Bertrand because he hadn't entered this willingly.

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Erin gestured vaguely towards Vlad's collar, she was thankful that the Count hadn't done this out of being evil but as a way to protect his family. She believed there must have been a better way however.

"So this collar is just a scheme to lure them here so you can slay them?"

"Execute them for treason." The Count corrected, he was going to use the law on his side to do this. He didn't want to risk the Council going against him for his actions. "I had hoped to use your relationship with the slayer as an excuse, until you gave me a better reason."

He'd hoped to use Vlad's dating Erin as a reason and his defiance of tradition. He'd hoped to stir up more trouble before he found out that Erin was one of them but Vlad had given him the perfect opportunity when he had defied their culture by sleeping with Erin before he was eighteen.

"That's why we've been arguing so much? You wanted me to play my part so no one would be against you putting that collar on me?"

The Count gave a shrug, he had to make it look like he was constantly at odds with his son and taking the only steps he could to control him. There was one thing that Vlad had forgotten though. "Don't think you're getting out of being punished easily Vladimir, I'm still very disappointed in you."

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Erin looked between them, "Am I the only one who sees a flaw in this plan?" She couldn't believe the Count hadn't seen it. "Vlad is powerless in that collar…"

The Count defended his plan by reminding her of its purpose. "It draws all the vampires who want to slay him here." The Count finished. "So?"

"How will Vlad defend himself?" She asked pointedly, her eyebrows raised. "If you need to be the one to undo the collar then what happens if he's attacked and you're nowhere near him?" It was a fear of hers, she couldn't lose him.

Vlad turned to her a reassuring smile on his face. "I know hand to hand combat." The Count looked at his son, he hadn't been told Bertrand had been teaching his son close combat, "I'll be fine."

"You'd better be." She told him quietly, she looked at the Count. "You'd better make sure he is or I'll stake you." The Count gulped, for the very first time not doubting her ability to do so. Erin would slay him to avenge Vlad he knew that without a doubt.

"I take no pleasure in chaining my son up like a dog." He told her, "The sooner this is over the better for all of us."

"How do I fit into this?" Erin asked him, "I'm not a true vampire so why do you want us to have a future."

The Count's gaze softened, "Vlad loves you, I wish he didn't but he does. I should have protected you eighteen years ago and I didn't. I'm protecting you now." She should have grown up alongside his son and not as a ward of the Guild. "I love my son too much to watch him go through losing you again." The Count didn't deny he'd tried to get rid of her on more than one occasion but he didn't want Vlad to suffer the pain again. He had hardly known his son in that time. "Vladimir goes into power without being a pawn in anyone's game. He has more control if he has a mate and an heir." There couldn't be any pressure on him to choose a bride or forge alliances he would be already protected in that way with a choice of his own. "Although you haven't agreed to being his mate." He looked slightly scornful at that. He still couldn't see why she'd said no.

"Dad drop it." Vlad spoke in a clipped manner, the pain was still there and it would be for a while but he truly understood now why she'd rejected him.

"Okay." The Count conceded before looking at Erin, his next question wasn't much better but he considered it a subject changer. "Why don't you want to be like Vladimir?" He would have thought she'd want to, to carry his children. There was clearly more at work here than she cared to admit.

Erin raised her head to face the Count. Erin didn't look at him, her eyes pulled to the left. Vlad knew she wasn't telling the truth about the real reason from that small tell sign. "I can't be turned while I carry the baby," Erin told him, "The process would either be useless in stopping the baby being lost or just kill the baby immediately. There's no way I could become a vampire anyway."

"Why not?" He didn't understand, he would have thought she'd want to remain with his son for eternity.

Vlad wanted to know the truth as well, he decided to press her a fraction. "Erin?"

She felt tears stinging in her eyes; she couldn't hide the real reason why she didn't want to be like them. It had changed from when she'd first met him and now this thought terrified her more than the original fear that had been preying on the innocent. Erin's voice quietened to little more than a whisper, "I can't lose who I am. When I'm bitten I'll change. I'm scared that Vlad won't love me when I do. I don't want to lose him."

The Count's expression softened, he moved closer to the young slayer, "You're scared you'll lose him if you become a full vampire?"

Erin nodded slowly, she couldn't look at Vlad. She'd never told him this, this was her biggest fear. The reason she didn't want to become a vampire. She could handle the soy blood and the fangs just not how her mind and emotions would be affected and how that would in turn affect everyone around her.

Her brother had changed, he'd become crueller and she didn't want to risk pushing Vlad away if she became like that. She didn't want to lose the one person other than Ryan who loved her for being her.

"Dad take the collar off." Vlad whispered, he knew instinctively what was going through her mind even if he couldn't link with her telepathically while wearing the collar.

"Vladimir…"

"NOW!" He cried as he watched Erin slide to the floor.

The Count couldn't take the risk, "It needs to stay on if they're to believe that…"

"Just for an hour." Vlad pleaded with him, the moment the time was up he'd gladly put it back on. "She needs me." The Count watched as Erin rocked back and forth. "Please Dad."

The Count looked between them before making his decision.

TBC

_A/N: I had this planned for a while; I hope it all makes sense now._

_Thanks for reading._


	82. At Night

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I've officially bypassed 200,000 words, I can't believe I've done that much typing!_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 80: At Night

The instant the lid of the box snapped closed, sealing the argentalium collar away for the next hour, Vlad stepped towards Erin as quickly as he could.

The Count watched them for a few moments before vanishing from the room leaving them alone. He'd agreed to one hour but after that Vlad would have to put the collar back on, he'd started this so he needed to finish this. Vlad had to wear the collar now until it was over, it wouldn't do for it to get out that the collar had been removed.

She seemed to freeze sensing him approaching, she clearly wasn't sure whether she would still be affected or not.

"Erin I love you, it won't change how I feel if you decide to become one of us." He knelt down in front of her and scooped her into his arms, holding her tightly to him. He felt her stiffen before relaxing. He kissed her forehead, "Erin do you love me any less since I changed?"

"No, you're still my Vlad." She'd seen glimpses of this version of him for months before he faced the mirror, he was just as easy to love when he was being true to himself.

"Do you love Ryan any less?" He asked.

She didn't answer at first, she still loved her brother but it was slightly more complicated but deep down she didn't feel any different.

"It won't change how I feel about you, it'll be different for a few days because we'll be adjusting but that's it. I love you. You being a slayer didn't change how I felt for the 'half fang' I met months ago. It'll be almost the same."

"It didn't change how I acted around you though…"

"You honestly can't see how you've changed?" He grinned, "You're confident around me, you don't keep anything from me. You give Dad and Bertrand what for, you're not even afraid of a certain part of me like before. You've changed since I met you. It hasn't changed how I feel."

Erin had changed while she'd been with him and it had only served to increase how he felt about her, it wouldn't change in a hurry he knew that.

"I'm also scared how biting me would affect you." She muttered, "You'd never forgive yourself and I know it would come up in arguments." Vlad wasn't prepared to bite humans, he had a conscience – that was if he survived biting her in the first place.

Erin looked up at him, afraid of what she saw in his eyes. She pulled herself from his embrace, she didn't want to talk about the conversation.

Erin still stepped backwards away from Vlad, "You need to drink before you put that collar back on." She told him quietly, she didn't want to touch him if he was going to have to put it back on it would only make it harder.

She moved across the room to the refrigerator withdrawing a bottle of soy blood. She held it out to him, still cautious of being too close.

He wrapped his fingers around hers on the bottle and tugged her closer, he wrenched the bottle from her fingers as they instinctively tightened around it. He placed the bottle down beside them wrapping his arms around her and holding her close to him so she couldn't escape.

He'd missed this closeness whilst wearing that stupid collar, it looked like it would be his prison for however long it took for Ramanga's assassins to come.

Erin wouldn't meet his gaze, he wanted to look into her eyes. He tenderly place his index and middle fingers under her jaw and tilted her head upwards. Her eyes were glistening as she finally looked at him. She didn't want him to still be angry with her.

Vlad's gaze was soft as he stroked her bottom lip with his thumb. "Erin I get it." He told her, "I get why you said no. I love you and I'll wait until you're ready."

"I do love you Vlad." Erin promised him, "Let's just find out what happens with the baby before we make any decisions." The baby was their main priority at the moment.

Vlad looked at her, he couldn't help asking in a small voice: "Is that a maybe?"

Erin didn't want to argue and she knew he wasn't willing to start one either. "I want to be your mate more than anything." She whispered, trying to ignore the smile that spread across his face. "I just can't handle that right now with everything that's happened…"

"I was angry but I didn't think about everything that's happened. When you said no…"

Erin's voice softened, "I'm just not ready Vlad. I didn't want to hurt you but I can't yet." She'd never wanted to hurt him by rejecting his offer, she just didn't want to be hasty and have him regret it. She needed to sort things out first.

"I know that now." He took an unnecessary breath, the phantom pressure where the collar had rested bothering him, "You're right I'm not either. I just don't want to lose you."

Erin stroked his jaw, "You won't." Her fingers slipped down to his neck, gently stroking the chaff marks on his neck wincing as the pads of her fingers brushed the roughness. "Love you." She whispered.

He closed his eyes in relief at her saying the words, "Love you too."

She reached down beside them and passed him the bottle, "Drink." She watched as his top lip protruded immediately with that single word, it showed how desperate he'd been to drink. He took it from her and drank deeply, she grinned as he finally drank the nutrients that his body so desperately needed and craved.

Erin smiled as she saw a trail of soy blood escaping the corner of his mouth. She swiped it away with her thumb.

"Thanks." He whispered as he lowered the now empty bottle from his mouth.

She glanced back to the fridge where she knew there was at least another three bottles. "Do you need more?"

"Maybe later." She hoped he didn't mean too late, they only had an hour together. "Are we okay?" He asked her referring to their relationship; he was worried it was something they couldn't come back from.

"Yeah." She answered, kissing his neck lightly to show how much she meant her answer. "We've been through worse." She smiled referring to when he found out she was a slayer and accidently killed a vampire in the same conversation.

She pulled back and he caught her face in his hands. "Just promise to let me know when you're ready to take that next step." He asked gently, he didn't want to repeat it.

"Are you asking me to be the one who proposes next time?" She grinned, placing her hands on his chest.

"No!" He answered sharply, "Just next time let me know so I don't make an idiot of myself."

She smiled, he hadn't made an idiot out of himself, she was just as much to blame for not explaining how she felt. "I will."

The remained in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Vlad leaned down and kissed her softly. Erin automatically twisted her fingers in his shirt as the kiss deepened. He'd missed this and he didn't know when he'd get the chance to kiss her again if he had to keep up pretence by wearing that stupid thing.

He stepped backwards, her lips chasing his. He pressed a few short butterfly kissed to them before arching away from her chuckling as she pouted. He looked over his shoulder and jerked his head in the direction of some of the furniture.

Vlad pulled her with him towards the sofa, "Vlad… your Dad…" She half-heartedly protested.

He glanced behind her towards the clock; he clicked his fingers the doors locking. He hadn't realised how much he missed his powers. "We've got forty five minutes."

He wasn't going to waste them.

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Bertrand held Ingrid's shoulders lightly in place as she stood in front of the punch bag.

She looked at the mouldy straw filled thing with distain, "You know when you said training I thought you were joking." In the coffin she could have sworn he was joking.

"I never joke about training." He replied a grin on his lips. He stepped away from her and gestured to the bag, "Hit it." He ordered.

"I'm not punching the bag."

He leaned close, his lips brushing her ear, "What's the matter? Afraid you can't do it?" He knew exactly which buttons to press to get her to do what he wanted.

She looked at the bag and punched it. She winced as her fingers cracked and Bertrand's eye twitched at the sound as it bounced off the walls. She shook it trying to ignore the stabbing pain that flared along her nerves and down her arm.

Bertrand took her hand in his, he gently rubbed her knuckles. "You need to learn how to throw a punch."

Ingrid was outraged at that comment, "I can throw a punch!" She didn't like the way he was insinuating that she couldn't attack in the most basic way.

"You can't." He answered smiling, he knew she used to beat her brother up but he guessed that it mainly involved kicks, slaps and choke holds – not punches.

She rolled her tongue in her mouth, "Teach me then, if you think you're brave enough to try." She teased, to anyone else it would have sounded vicious but she was flirting.

He turned her around leaving his hands on her hips. Ingrid closed her eyes as he gripped her hips firmly and she felt her back pressed against his chest. "Legs apart." He whispered, Ingrid's eyes snapped open and she did as she was asked. "A little more." He told her. "You need to spread your weight more evenly." She did so until her feet were about a foot apart from each other.

"Now what?" Her voice was husky,

He reached down and grasped her right hand in his, he gently formed a fist, "The thumb goes on the outside, otherwise you might break it." He stoked her fingers lightly. "Draw your fist back." He drew it back until it was level with her cheek. "And let go."

Immediately she did as she was told and the punch bag swung from side to side violently, she'd pulled a perfect punch.

"You managed to teach me something." She grinned kissing him lightly as a reward.

"You want to continue training?" He asked her softly. It was a first that he found himself not wanting to. Ingrid found herself unable to speak so she settled for shaking her head. She didn't want to train. He took her hand and pulled her out of the room, "I'm taking you to dinner."

She only hoped it would be better than the last dinner date they had.

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Erin walked around the room slowly, picking up the discarded empty soy blood bottles and placing them on the side. It had been better to make sure that he was full rather than let him starve before he could feed again.

Vlad watched her from the centre of the room, a smile on his face. He finally had enough of her moving around and pulled her down onto his lap. Erin let out a squeak as she landed across his legs. Her arms came around his neck to steady herself and stop herself from falling backwards.

His lips immediately trailed along her neck, drawing her earlobe into his mouth and nibbling on it gently. She arched her neck towards him in pleasure. Her grip tightened on the nap of his neck and he took that as encouragement.

He ran a hand under her shirt, grinning as he felt her shiver. He ran his fingers over her firming stomach, soon (hopefully) it would be rounding. He loved the warmth of her skin.

His ears perked up as he heard someone approaching the room. He let out a groan and pulled back pushing her off him gently. He glanced to the clock, the hour was up.

The door opened just as Erin smoothed down her shirt at a more respectable distance away from her boyfriend.

The Count did a double take, his son was now just in his t-shirt but Erin was now in an oversized shirt that was done up to the neck. He decided that he really didn't want to know and consoled himself in the hope that Erin had just been cold.

"Vladdy its time." Vlad nodded his head dropping to his chest and Erin stepped back out of the way completely. It was silly but he felt the loss of her warmth even more as she moved.

The Count looked at his son, Vlad held out the collar to him resigned. The Count took it from him. "There's no garlic in here." He admitted to him, "It just looks like there's some, I had to try and persuade you not to try to take it off."

"It worked." Vlad answered, no one had wanted to remove it because of the garlic veins that it contained.

"If I could transfer control to you Vladimir I would." The Count told his son, squeezing his shoulder gently before loosening the collar completely and slipping it back around his son's neck more gently that the last time. Vlad felt like he was being choked at the sensation but forced himself to calm.

Vlad took a breath trying to gain courage to ask a question, he didn't know how his father would react as he knew he didn't approve. "Can I have it removed at night?" No one would be around to question his or her sleeping habits. They were usually left alone at night so no one would know he wasn't wearing it.

The Count gave his son a penetrating look, "So you can sleep easier?" He knew the collar would be uncomfortable for his son to sleep in at night and Vlad would need his sleep of he was to defend himself if necessary.

Vlad shook his head, "So I can be with Erin." He let his father take that how he wanted to, there was no doubt what they could get up to at night with Erin being in her current condition.

The Count's face was unemotional as Erin's paled at Vlad's request. She didn't think Vlad could be so bold.

The Count opened his mouth to speak, but was saved by a knock.

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A quick knocking at the door made him comically open and close his mouth.

Mina poked her head around the door, sheets worth of data in her hands. The data wasn't in a tidy pile instead it looked like it had been rifled through in a hurry.

She addressed Erin directly, panic across her face. "I need a blood sample…"

Vlad looked at her, he didn't like his privacy being invaded. "Can't it wait?!"

"No it can't Vlad!" Mina snapped at him, this was no time for him to be stubborn. "Erin I need a sample of your blood now."

Erin found herself unable to argue with the slayer. She nodded mutely, shaky fingers struggling to undo the buttons on Vlad's shirt so she could expose her arm to allow blood to be taken from her.

Panic flooded Vlad, he didn't like the way she was reacting. "What's wrong?"

"It might be nothing," Mina assured him, with a smile but it dropped from her face once more. "But it could be everything."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	83. Transfusion

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_As you can tell 'Dividing Magnets' won't be posted until Monday, there was a problem with the document for the first chapter which means I have to retype it up – something about it being corrupted when I tried to save it._

Chapter 81: Transfusion

Mina drew the blood slowly and looked at Vlad as she did it. The syringe filled,

"I need two." She told Erin quietly and Erin nodded.

"What's wrong?" Erin asked Jonno, she was growing worried as mother and son shared knowing looks. She felt uneasy about secrets being kept from her.

Jonno shook his head; he gave her a fake smile. "Probably nothing, we just want to check you're okay." He didn't want her to worry although they were doing the complete opposite at the moment.

"You're lying." Vlad told them, it was better if they knew the truth rather than settle for a lie.

Erin stretched her fingers out towards Vlad but he moved back, he couldn't risk her being hurt. She gave him a look of emotional hurt before nodding as he stretched out his fingers to her showing he wanted to hold her just as much.

He wished the collar hadn't been put back on in time, especially as the feeling in the pit of his stomach doubled and intensified.

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The lab, if it could be called that, was archaic. There wasn't any form of modern technology in the room, it looked like something from Victorian times, although considering the Count's aversion to all modern technology it shouldn't have been that surprising for the slayers.

Vlad leaned against the table behind him, along the width of the one Mina was using a microscope on. Erin matched him perfectly, six feet down the other end of the table. She shuffled nervously from her left foot to her right and back again. There was an uneasiness building at the back of her mind that wouldn't leave her at all. It didn't help with all the looks Jonno and Mina were still sending each other.

After the third groan and wince Vlad had enough, "What is wrong?" He shouted making Mina jump, her knees hit the support strut of the table and she bit her lip almost drawing blood in an effort not to cry out. Vlad was tempted to say sorry but he wanted an answer.

Erin sent him a scolding look as the microscope nearly fell from the table if it hadn't been for Jonno's quick reflexes.

Mina looked up with watering eyes. "Most of Erin's blood shows anomalies…"

Vlad winced; he knew the reason for the anomalies. Ingrid looked at him with a cringe clearly she did too. He could explain them away immediately if they'd asked, this could have been dealt with a while before but then he remembered that there was something wrong before they asked for the blood. "That's probably from soy blood."

Jonno's face screwed up in confusion, "Soy blood? Why has Erin been drinking soy blood?" Erin shouldn't be able to absorb it the way Vlad would; it was one of the perks of her being half human. She would digest it in the normal human manner.

Vlad folded his arms over his chest and sighed, "Erin hasn't been drinking it." Erin wouldn't drink it if her life depended on it while she was mortal – especially not now her body was deciding not to let her stomach it. "It was a transfusion; I told you her blood attacks normal human blood. Breaks it down like a vampire would in their stomach."

It had never been done before and the slayers found themselves questioning the sanity of the vampires. They were even more surprised that Erin was standing in front of them. "You gave her a soy blood transfusion?"

Ingrid spoke, it had been her idea and she wasn't about to let that be denied. "It hasn't got a blood type and her body accepted it. We didn't have enough time to think of another way to save her life."

"What does the problem with her blood mean?"

Mina wasn't exactly sure how to say this; the young couple wouldn't take it well at all. "Renfield didn't take into consideration the added DNA of the child on Erin's body." It was something that was easily missed.

Erin shook her head; she refused to glance at Vlad, even if it was out of the corner of her eye. "I don't understand."

Mina sighed, "Erin's body was carefully balanced between human and vampire DNA as she grew, the baby is three quarters vampire as Vlad is a full vampire."

Ingrid noticed the change in tense, "You said 'was'." Vlad glanced towards Erin seeing her stiffen.

Mina nodded gravely, "The total amount of vampire DNA inside Erin is greater than her human DNA with her carrying the baby." It wasn't a small margin of difference, however even just one percent over would make a significant difference. "It means her human DNA can't fight it for long, it's constantly under attack. The soy blood has given the vampire side of her the strength to fight."

Soy blood contained all the nutrients to keep a full vampire healthy and in control, it hadn't occurred to Vlad that it might give her vampire side the edge it needed to fight her human side.

If it was under attack wasn't she supposed to feel something? She should be ill, there should be something wrong. "I haven't felt anything, I don't feel any different. I've only had morning sickness."

Jonno gave her a grave look, "Not now but you will."

Vlad was concerned with something they weren't saying, "How will this affect Erin?"

"The baby's vampire DNA isn't strong enough to rewrite Erin's DNA entirely before she miscarries. It can only rewrite parts, parts that shouldn't be rewritten. There's no telling which parts of her DNA would be rewritten. When she miscarries there will be damage done to her DNA and body in general that can't be undone."

Vlad felt his throat go dry, the collar felt even heavier. "Which parts?"

Mina shook her head; there wasn't enough data to be sure. "I don't know."

Vlad wasn't going to accept that, "Guess then!"

Jonno spoke, his voice quaking. He wasn't afraid of Vlad's anger he was afraid of his grief. "Her heart could stop but her body might still need the oxygen in her blood, her brain would need it – that's if her brain isn't altered to match a half fangs…"

Vlad wanted to be positive, "What if that doesn't happen? What if she'd perfectly fine afterwards?"

"If Erin survives the changes made, there's every chance that she can't have children. Her body would ensure that to protect itself from being genetically altered again." Erin wrapped her arms over her stomach instinctively. "Her DNA is rewriting itself completely; even if you bite her she won't be able to carry them. That's if she survives losing the baby. Her body won't be able to cope with the loss of that extra DNA; the baby's human DNA is helping her fight the changes. Once that's gone there's no telling what will happen to her."

Vlad shook his head, there was always away. "Run more tests to find out."

Mina looked at him, she didn't move closer though. Running tests would take time, time they didn't have. "Erin's seven weeks, she could lose the baby at any point. We haven't got time to run tests."

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Vlad let the realisation sink in; he was being told that he could lose Erin completely if something wasn't done. He wasn't prepared to lose their child so there was no way that he was prepared to lose Erin. "What can we do?" Vlad asked quietly.

Under normal circumstances there would be only one option. "I would suggest a full blood transfusion, slow it down somehow before it affects her physically but if you say her blood attacks human blood then there's no way we can do that." Mina looked at Erin carefully trying to gauge her reaction.

The Count had an idea, "Why not supress her vampire DNA, use argentalium, then Vlad could bite her…" The Count began slowly, surely that would be the easiest thing to do.

"She can't function with that side of her DNA switched off; her body would go into shock. It would be like breaking a circuit." Jonno paused, "As for Vlad biting her." Jonno shook his head, biting Erin wouldn't solve any problems only cause more uncertainties. Renfield had been mostly correct in his research only the effects on Erin had been wrong. "The change needs to be controlled – not to fast but not too slow. A bite can't guarantee that."

"How would you do it?" Erin asked quietly not agreeing to anything. They all picked up on this; they hadn't expected her to make a decision on the spot.

"Vlad can't bite you directly otherwise it will kill him." Mina told her, she'd read that Vlad wouldn't be able to bite her in the scrawl Renfield had made. She fully agreed with that, not because she didn't want Vlad to bite her but because Vlad truly wouldn't survive.

Ingrid stepped beside Erin. "I could do it, I survived Ryan." Ingrid offered, she wasn't offering lightly but she wasn't demanding anything in return for her actions.

Erin shook her head frantically, so hard that she felt herself becoming dizzy, "I'm not having any other vampire bite me." Erin cried, she didn't want to be loyal to another. She would wear the bite for the rest of her life and there was only one person she could live with doing that.

Vlad went to reach out for her but remembered the collar was back in place, he shot a scathing look at the Count who shrugged. Vlad had to keep up appearances for now and the collar was part of that.

"If I choose to become a vampire how would you do it?"

"I don't know, becoming a full vampire without a vampire biting you has never been done before. It isn't to say that it can't be done." Mina assured her, trying her hardest to ignore the fact she was in a way promising to find a way to turn Erin completely – something that went against all her ethics as a slayer.

Erin looked up at her slowly, "So it depends on whether I want to be a vampire." She didn't look at Vlad. "I could die because of what I am and if I become one there's the chance I'll lose the baby and any chance to have children completely."

Mina nodded there were no certainties in this. The odds were against her that things would take a turn for the worst. Everything was a guess at this point but they couldn't take the risk.

The Count rolled his eyes, he couldn't see a problem in this. "I don't see what's to decide. Erin becomes a vampire."

"It's up to Erin." Vlad told his father angrily, "We don't make the choice for her. Is that clear?" He spoke in an authoritative tone. Ingrid looked at her brother in surprise, she hadn't expected him to speak to their father like that but he was and the Count was backing down. There was something going on but now wasn't the right time to ask.

The Count pointed a finger towards his son. "You don't want her to be one of us." Vlad had if it meant that their child would survive, he'd been prepared to be the one to bite her if it came to that.

"We went through this earlier." Vlad looked at the Count trying to speak calmly and put an end to the argument that was building. "I want what Erin wants, no matter how much it hurts."

Erin couldn't handle them talking about what she should and shouldn't do. She needed to get out of there. "I need some air."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	84. Decision

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_There will be a sequel to this and I'm going to be going for something different once again in it. Something I haven't done before – still a T rating just in case._

_I hope I didn't shock anyone when I increased the rating for this fic although it's obvious why I did now._

_It's all mapped out and ready to be typed, everything has been linked in now._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 82: Decision

Erin leaned back against the archway looking up at the sky.

She was given a choice become a vampire or chance surviving as a human.

It wasn't an easy choice to make, there were positives and negatives about each one.

She watched the birds sweeping across the ground looking for bits of crisps and other food that had been dropped in the courtyard at playtime. Erin found herself being mesmerised by the sight, it took her mind off the decision she had to make.

Vlad would stand back and let her make her own choice; it was her body and her life they were talking about. He wouldn't interfere. The slayers would hate it if she became a full vampire and there would be consequences for Vlad, Ryan would be murderous when he found out. The Count had already expressed his opinion over what she should do. Ingrid she knew would pick vampire – it was something she prized over everything else.

"I think Erin needs her brother." Ingrid observed from the doorway, "She can't have Vlad." Erin needed someone that she could talk to. Ingrid didn't think it was a good idea that she talk to Vlad either.

"Ryan isn't here." Bertrand reminded her. None of them knew where he was. He had a feeling though that they hadn't seen the last of him.

Ingrid shrugged lightly, "I know which I'd pick."

Bertrand rolled his eyes. "It isn't your decision Ingrid, its Erin's. Erin's been brought up to fear becoming a vampire even though she is technically a half fang. It isn't something she can forget easily."

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Bertrand crossed the floor towards Erin, his shoes clicked on the cobbled. Ingrid couldn't talk to her because no matter how well her intentions may have been she would have tried to convince her to become one of them and perhaps made Erin even more reluctant to be a vampire.

"What do you want?" She spoke hoarsely, it didn't come out as a full snap but it wasn't polite either. She didn't even bother to face him. He knew her eyes would be wet, Erin was emotional at this stage and he wouldn't question that.

"To help." He answered, he didn't have an ulterior motive in this at all. "I'm not going to fight for Vlad and I'm not going to be on your side either." He told her quietly, Erin didn't need someone who could pick sides. "Talk it through with me."

She swung her arms back and forth before lacing her fingers together and twisting them nervously. "What would you do?" Erin asked him gently, "If you were me what would you do?"

"I'd make my own decision and not let anyone interfere." Bertrand answered, this was her decision and her's alone.

Erin sat down heavily on the tiled floor, "I don't know what to do."

Bertrand gestured with his hand asking permission to sit next to her. Erin didn't notice at first but when she saw his action she nodded, it didn't occur to her that he would ask her if he could sit next to her. It was all part of their opposing past.

Bertrand sat a respectable distance from Erin, making sure that she could get away from him if she wanted to. This was an unusual position for him, he'd never actually been a sounding board for her before but he was offering it. He'd been one for Vlad but he'd answered aggressively, it was in his nature to do so.

"What is being a full vampire really like?" She asked, he had the most experience other than the Count and he would show a different side of it than Vlad. "Forget I said that." She added, she didn't want to hear anything that she would regret.

Bertrand considered his answer carefully, he didn't want to really influence her by injecting his own opinions into it. "Being a vampire is natural to us, we're used to it. We're brought up to be evil but Vlad isn't like that. He proves it can be controlled."

Erin wanted to know something, the answer to her fear. "Then why do half fangs change? Why do they become angry and spiteful?"

He answered, not realising that it was her fear to change. "Because of the evil of their creators. It forms a link that's the loyalty bond, they try to idolise their master or mistress."

"So if Vlad did bite me, he can be the most evil vampire out there and…"

"You'd probably become the most evil half fang." He summarised. Thoughts raced through Erin's mind, if Vlad bit her then everything would definitely change. She would definitely change. "But Mina has said that there might be a way to change you without you being bitten."

Erin scoffed, "She doesn't know how." She looked at her hands once more, moving them to her knees and gripping the material firmly, "They took my family away from me and now they're going to do it again because no one told me what I was. Me and Vlad wouldn't be like this if we'd known, the Slayers kept it secret and now he'll lose me and the baby…"

"Erin they should have told you the truth." He agreed with her, "You need to use the knowledge you have now to choose a future for yourself."

"I want a family but I don't want it on vampire terms." She wanted it the normal way, but Vlad's culture was being forced onto her ironically not by the vampires but by the slayers due to the secrets they'd kept from her.

Bertrand turned to face her more fully, "Erin I don't have a family either." Erin blinked at his words, "That book was my life all I was bred for. I wasn't allowed to marry or have another occupation. I'm not an heir to anything, I don't have any inheritance. I never thought a family was in my future until I met Ingrid."

Erin had some idea of not knowing about ever having a family when she'd chosen the male Dracula sibling. "I never wanted to become one of you, so there was always the chance I'd never have children with Vlad."

"And you can say that you're fine with that?" He asked her quietly. "Assuming that you survive?"

Erin rubbed her hands across her face, "I want a family, I always have. I knew Vlad could change me if I wanted them."

"If you don't change you'll lose that chance." Bertrand reminded her quietly. Erin nodded slowly, she knew the risks.

There was another option, "Don't vampires adopt or something…"

It was a rare thing, adoption in their culture. "They can but they'll never be accepted as Vlad's children, he's too powerful in our culture. Only a child with half his DNA can be his heir."

"True heir." Erin muttered remembering what the Count had said. "He'll find someone else."

Bertrand looked down towards Erin, "Will he?" She lowered her head in response, "Vlad asked you to mate with him. He's not eighteen but he decided that he's almost ready." She didn't miss the 'almost ready'; she hadn't expected Bertrand to know about that.

Her expression of surprise was almost comical. "How do you…"

Bertrand gave her a half smile. "Who do you think helped Ingrid knock sense into him?" He'd done that literally.

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Erin considered what Bertrand had said, the silence much to her surprise wasn't uncomfortable. There was something relaxing in the fact that he wasn't going to tell her what to do. He knew it was her choice and he knew the hard way that influencing peoples' decisions wasn't the right thing to do.

"This is weird." She whispered looking at Bertrand.

His brows furrowed and he shook his head lightly, "What is?"

"Talking to you like this. I'm a slayer I go against everything you believe in."

"Beliefs change." Bertrand told her firmly. He knew that for a fact. He'd believed in the book, that it would lead them into a new future where vampires were supreme but it hadn't been like that at all. "Yours changed, you believed you had to slay Vlad to save Ryan."

"I fell in love." Erin answered, that was something she never thought she'd discuss with Bertrand. She couldn't imagine hurting Vlad like that now, she cringed when she thought about it often trying to erase it from her mind.

Then it got weirder. "I did too." Bertrand nodded, smiling softly, "I used Ingrid to try and get rid of you, didn't think she could be worth much more. Even tried to slay her. That changed."

It seemed all the Dracula relationships started with an attempted slaying of some kind, or at least had it in them at some point.

Erin was curious. He'd tried to kill Vlad when he met him, threatened to bite Renfield in not so many words, attacked Ingrid, tried to get rid of her and kill the Count in Ingrid's latest scheme that had backfired. "Is there anyone in this family you haven't tried to kill?" He was a vampire, betrayal was nothing to him or rather it hadn't been before.

"Wolfie." He answered immediately with a shrug, the boy reminded him of his nephew. Ingrid loved Wolfie too much to let him get hurt even if she'd been an idiot and scared Wolfie by showing her fangs too close to his neck. Erin laughed lightly at his quick response. He turned serious, "Things change Erin but your decision will stay with you and Vlad. Don't do what everyone wants you to do. Do what you want to do?"

"What if I don't know what that is?" She really didn't know which decision to make. She wanted someone to tell her what to do.

Bertrand stood slowly, he reached out towards her hesitating a few times. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed slightly, he was surprised that she didn't stiffen under his firm touch. "Trust yourself to know. Do what you want to do not what others want you to do."

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Ingrid placed a hand on Bertrand's shoulder as he entered the school once more, "I didn't know you could be like that?" He didn't jump to his credit which meant he knew that she hadn't left.

He gave her a rare half grin, "Always surprised aren't you?" He liked being unpredictable it was something he treasured in battle.

Ingrid batted her eye lashes slowly, "Sometimes I like surprises." She answered, she liked him surprising her. She liked it when he showed a side of him that showed he was so much more than the tutor he currently was. She stroked his neck lightly, shivering as he caressed hers in return. She leaned up and kissed him chastely, "Which do you think she'll choose?"

"I have no idea."

He really didn't have a clue.

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Erin closed the door behind her as she entered the school; the lab was only a short walk from the archway she'd been standing under. Her decision weighed heavily on her mind.

She really didn't know if she was making the right decision but her fears were holding her prisoner in her heart and mind. She'd debated both sides of the argument but there was only one answer that she could give.

There was only one option she could live with – that had been what had swayed her.

"I think I have a way to turn Erin without Vlad biting her…" A voice drifted down the corridor.

Erin heard Vlad speak, "How…"

"I'll need…"

Erin pushed the door open at that point cutting Mina off completely. Vlad turned as fast as he could towards Erin, he wanted to comfort her but he couldn't go anywhere near her. He wasn't sure what her decision would be at all he only knew it was up to her.

His throat tightened and he opened his mouth to speak but his words only came out as a high pitched squeak, "You okay?"

Erin nodded but she couldn't look at him, it was as if she was looking over his shoulders at a fixed point on the wall.

He felt himself growing nauseous, taking it to mean something but he noticed she wouldn't look at Mina at all. It gave him a small amount of relief.

Mina plastered a smile on her face as she looked towards the squeak of the hinges. She was nervous about what Erin's answer would be. "Have you made up your mind?" Mina asked Erin.

Vlad looked at her nervously, he honestly didn't know which Erin was going to choose but he wouldn't dispute it. She had control over her own fate now.

Erin nodded slowly and emotionlessly, "Yeah."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	85. Procedure

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_About ''Dividing Magnets':_

_I got called into work today at short notice. I haven't finished the starter chapter yet (chapter two is completely finished), so I'm hoping to get it up in the next couple of days. I'm fully in work from tomorrow so typing will be a little difficult._

Chapter 83: Procedure

Her heart was racing; she knew what she was going to do. She felt her palms growing sweaty as she faced them all, it was clear they were all on the edges of their seats waiting for an answer.

She jumped as she felt a tender hand on her shoulder; she looked over it to see Bertrand flanking her. She gave him a shaky smile in thanks; she closed her eyes briefly trying to pretend that it was Vlad beside her offering her comfort.

"Erin?" Vlad asked her softly, his mind was racing. He knew which he preferred but as he thought before it was ultimately her decision.

"I've decided." She told them again, "I've made up my mind what I want to do." She glanced towards Vlad; she could read the emotions going through his eyes. She found she missed their connection more than anything while he had that collar on, she hadn't realised how linked they were telepathically. There was a hole in her mind that she knew was is corner, she'd never noticed it before meeting him.

"Do what you want." Bertrand reminded her and Vlad nodded agreeing with him completely.

"I am." She assured them, she held Vlad's gaze, refusing to remove her eyes from him. "I want to be who I should be." She spoke clearly and loudly, "I want to be a half fang."

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Vlad hadn't been expecting that, he jumped down from the table he'd been perched on instinctively. "Is this what you really want?" Vlad asked her from across the room. He tugged on the collar wanting it off completely forgetting about its tightening mechanism. He groaned as he felt it pinch into his skin. He wanted to be next to her to talk this through, it didn't seem personal enough with Bertrand, Ingrid, Jonno and everyone else in between them.

"Yeah." She nodded with certainty, she wanted a future with him and this was the best chance she had.

"What about changing?" He cautiously mentioned her fear; he wanted her to think it through fully.

"I can handle it." She didn't seem entirely convinced but she seemed determined. Vlad nodded slowly. "I can't have Vlad bite me so how are you going to do it?"

"We need to introduce additional vampire DNA into Erin's blood and genes. It will rewrite her DNA naturally and be enough to transform her completely."

Mina took over the conversation, "You can't be bitten so it would have to be injected directly into your jugular."

Ingrid raised a finger stepping forward, "Who's DNA or will it be a mix?" If it was a mix there wouldn't be any particular loyalty or so she assumed. That was what Erin was afraid of – the loyalty aspect.

"Considering Erin's DNA is fighting the baby it will already be weak. So not to attack it anymore with vampire DNA the best option is to use DNA that it will accept and recognise." The all turned as one to look at Vlad, "The father." Vlad didn't shrink from their gazed, he was proud to be the father. "We'll need some of Vlad's blood and DNA to introduce into Erin's system."

Vlad's voice was low as he spoke. "Erin will be loyal to me."

"We've done tests at the Guild. We think we've isolated the loyalty gene. We can extract the enzyme from Vlad's blood and DNA that would make Erin loyal." Mina suggested, she didn't particularly like discussing Guild matters with them but she wasn't exactly part of the Guild.

Vlad watched as Erin breathed a sigh of relief; she glanced back at Vlad and nodded. This definitely was what she wanted. Vlad saw the confidence and certainty on her face. "I'll do it."

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"The collar needs to be removed if we're to extract Vlad's DNA in its pure vampire form." Jonno told the Count pointedly as he finished sorting out the syringes, swabs and all other medical equipment he needed. He glanced over his shoulder as he said it; he knew he'd gulp if he looked at the Count directly.

The Count looked at his son and Vlad's eyes were pleading, he nodded slowly moving towards him. Vlad craned his neck so the Count could remove the collar.

The Count's gaze narrowed, "It goes back on the moment you take the needle out." His voice was gruff as he spoke, remembering that this was Vlad's 'punishment'.

"Leave it off him!" Ingrid snapped, "Vlad can have it off for a while."

The Count ignored her completely; making sure his son was looking at them. "Don't leave this room." The Count told him pointedly.

Ingrid was confused; Vlad should be allowed to go where he wanted with that collar finally off him. "Why can't Vlad leave the room?" The Count and Vlad shared a look, "What aren't you telling me?" She asked her brother pointedly, "I know there's something up."

Vlad raised his eyebrows, "Leave it Ingrid." His fangs lowered as he spoke dangerously, he'd tell her later. That was communicated with his eyes. Ingrid nodded slowly; this wasn't the time or place to talk about it.

"Drink enough blood to keep you going." The Count told Vlad low enough for his ears only, he wanted his son to keep up his strength for when Ramanga returned; Erin nodded agreeing with what the Count had said. They didn't know how much longer Vlad should have to keep the collar on.

Vlad sighed, "Fine." He'd be needing the toilet if they made him drink much more.

The Count lifted his hands up to the collar and quickly twisted the combinations. It stuck a little, it was old and unused. Vlad let out a gasp and slumped down as it slipped completely free of him. He lifted his hand to his neck wincing at the feel of the chapped skin. It wasn't as bad as before as he hadn't tugged on the collar to make it tighten as often.

Vlad bent down and picked up the collar, handing it to the Count. The Count took it from him and handed it to Renfield. "Put this somewhere safe." He ordered, "And not too far away."

"Yes Master."

Vlad watched Renfield as he carefully left the room, he was sure Renfield was dragging it out. The moment Renfield left Vlad sped across to Erin and kissed her gently. She pulled back with a smile; he brushed the hair from her eyes. He stroked the small scar that matched his own by her right eye. He kissed it lightly, after this she wouldn't be as fragile in the same way she had as a breather.

"Are you sure about this?" He needed to know for certain.

"You've been mentioning it for the last week Vlad and now you're the one who's having doubts?" She smiled at him.

He caressed her neck lightly. "I don't want you to be something you don't want to be."

"I'm a half fang Vlad already, I was born this way. Maybe I changed back then and nothing else will change me." She muttered, her fear sparking again at the back of her mind.

Vlad nodded pressing his hand to her stomach. He smiled lightly, his eyes closing as he felt their child find its way into his mind. A mixture of colours assaulted him.

"I wish I could feel him." Erin whispered,

"So you've decided it's a boy?" Vlad asked with a smile, his lips quirking. His voice was teasing as he spoke.

"Let me finish," She smiled back; he was referring to their argument earlier. "Or her."

Jonno decided to interrupt the pair of them, "You do know the baby's DNA will change as well?" Jonno asked him. "Not much but it'll become just that little bit more vampire to match its mother."

"I'm ready for it Vlad if it means I can carry children." She assured him.

Vlad nodded, this was her decision and she'd decided to become like him. He'd accept it as long as he wasn't doing the actual biting. "Where do we begin?"

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Vlad looked uncertainly at the syringe. Erin had her arms folded over her chest; she was actually enjoying the panicked look on his face. "It's just a needle."

Jonno decided to take over and make Vlad dread it even more. "It's a specially designed syringe, it draws the blood, sucks it from your veins." Jonno seemed to be using words that weren't very technical but he seemed to be excited to talk about it. It was a powerful syringe.

Vlad looked at it with mistrust and disgust. "I won't ask why you needed to design one."

"Good because I wasn't going to tell you." Jonno told him just as Vlad winced as the needle was inserted into his arm. Jonno grinned, childish as it was he enjoyed making Vlad squirm. He caught Erin's eye and fixed a sober expression on his face.

"Do you want me to hold your hand?" She asked grasping his fingers lightly. Erin let out a short laugh at the look on his face he looked positively disgusted that some blood was being taken from him. He'd been unconscious the last time some was taken.

The moment the needle was removed Mina was standing directly in front of him forcing him to jerk his head back violently.

Mina gestured for him to open his mouth and she inserted a swab into inn mouth. He nearly gagged as he felt it brush against the back of his throat. The sensation was almost unbearable. Erin thought it was hilarious and she couldn't help but chuckle. She covered her mouth with her hand, her shoulders heaving as she laughed.

"Vlad…" The Count mumbled lowly.

Vlad's head dropped down, his chin resting on his chest. He looked at the Count out of the corner of his eye. He didn't want that stupid thing back on but he knew he had no choice. Erin gave him a soft smile and squeezed his hand lightly.

"You need to." She told him, her hand trailed to his cheek and she raised herself up pressing a gentle kiss to the skin there.

Vlad glared at his father before leaning stubbornly towards Erin. This would be the last time he felt how warm she was and he was going to make the most of it. He pulled her flush against him and kissed her firmly.

Erin nearly collapsed under the intensity he was kissing her with. She gripped his hair firmly and twisted her fingers in it holding him closer.

Vlad tried to imagine her lips colder but he found he was getting distracted. He slipped his hand under her shirt making her arch into him, they weren't exactly kissing in a discreet manner. They didn't usually kiss like this in public; they were kissing how it came to them naturally. They knew everyone around them was growing uncomfortable but they didn't care. If the collar hadn't been put on him and forced them to part then they wouldn't have had to watch their current display of affection.

Their tongues battled lazily, prolonging the kiss. Vlad drew back conscious of Erin's breathing which was something he wouldn't have to consider again.

When they parted he noticed Renfield had returned and was holding the collar safely in his hands. The Count looked at his son apologetically and Vlad sighed his eyes lowering. He pulled away from Erin, stepping out of her embrace before she grabbed his wrist.

Erin pulled him back to her and stretched up on her toes, "I promise we'll make up for you wearing it." He felt himself shiver at the promise in her tone. The other vampires heard her and coughed, she turned bright red at the realisation.

"_I know we will."_ Vlad answered into her mind. She'd forgotten she could use telepathy; it would've saved the embarrassment. _"I love you."_ He told her as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"_I love you too."_

The Count coughed loudly drawing them away from each other. Vlad moved over to them and arched his neck to let them slip it onto him easier.

Vlad spoke as he felt the collar being secured around his neck, "What now?" His voice was hoarse as he spoke.

Mina did her best to ignore the collar around Vlad's neck. "We test it; if everything's fine we go ahead with the procedure."

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	86. Fine

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Today's episode = WOW!_

_As I said in my one shot 'Unbreakable'– I don't think I can get away with writing another arranged marriage fic although I already have three ways for Vlad to get out of it, with lots of little plot bouncing around in my mind to do with it._

_I haven't seen the preview clip yet, I'm going to be strong and try not to look (I'm trying to follow what I did last year when I didn't look at spoilers so they won't influence my writing)._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 84: Fine

Erin winced as the needle was inserted into her jugular. Vlad tried not to smirk but then he filled with concern, he gave her a small comforting smile and she nodded gratefully. Jonno depressed the plunger and she growled as a searing heat appeared around the site of the injection.

He handed her a small ball of cotton wool to press against the injection site, "It will sting." Jonno told her, "Transformation does hurt." The sting was mimicking the bite of a vampire.

Erin looked at Vlad in fear, no one had mentioned pain. It should have been obvious really; Ryan went through a lot of pain.

Vlad hadn't expected Erin to be in pain at all. "How long?

Mina gave her a gentle smile; she placed a hand on Erin's shoulder. "A few days to a week." Erin nodded slowly, "The main changes will happen in the next forty eight hours but after that it'll be residual."

"There are still risks though?" Vlad asked.

"She should be fine." Mina answered with a smile, "The tests we ran on small amounts of her blood and DNA there were no complications. They changed almost immediately with no side effects at all."

Erin smiled at Vlad; this might not be as bad as she thought it would be.

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The temperature of the room was warm; in fact it was more than warm. Clearly the senses were the first thing to alter, it made sense as Ryan always seemed to be sweating when he'd undergone his change.

Erin shook her head and tried not to dwell on it, she looked down at her book some classical novel or something she'd taken from Vlad's room. He had a lot of books a number in Transylvanian, the writing of his native language was an art form, beautiful calligraphy with swirls and intricate patterns. She wanted more than anything to learn his language. She'd have time to now, she had forever.

Erin focused on the English in her book, some words went over her head and she didn't find reading easy with dyslexia but it didn't mean that she didn't enjoy it. The pages were thick and rich with text; she loved the feel of a book between her fingers.

Ingrid sat down next to Erin; Erin dropped the book down onto her lap. "Do you feel like a vampire yet?"

"I'm not thinking about it." She answered; she didn't want to think about it too much yet. There were still risks involved although she doubted they would happen.

Ingrid crossed her legs lazily, "You'll get to spend forever with Vlad now." It was the bright side Erin admitted, "They removed the loyalty as well so that's something else."

"I can have children." She told Ingrid with a smile, that was what she was looking forward to. "Vlad's children." She leaned down, folding nearly in half and dropped the book to the floor and immediately regretted it.

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Erin suddenly lost her balance she reached out to grab something, her vision blackening for a moment. She reached out grabbing Ingrid's shoulder. Ingrid twisted sharply grasping Erin to hold her steady, her hands were placed on Erin's stomach then she realised that Erin might not like people touching her there other than Vlad. She removed her hands sharply but quickly grasped her shoulders instead; Erin didn't seem to notice at all. Erin's knees buckled for the briefest of moments before she straightened back up.

"What's wrong?" Ingrid asked seeing the way Erin swayed as she stood.

"I just feel a little light headed." She smiled at Ingrid feebly, she was sure it wasn't anything to worry about. "Probably just need something to eat." She told her.

Ingrid didn't look too convinced, "Maybe you should tell Vlad…"

"I'm fine. I haven't eaten for a while." Her sugar levels were dropping and she just needed food, she was sure of it.

"Bertrand get Erin something to eat." Ingrid half ordered, half asked, she wasn't convinced she wanted to take her eyes of Erin. Vlad chose that moment to enter, Ingrid opened her mouth to tell Vlad what had happened but decided not to from the glare Erin shot her, "Erin needs something to eat." She told her brother knowing that Erin's gaze was boring holes into her back.

Vlad leaned forwards, "How about soy…"

If looks could kill, she'd mastered that look with her hormones the way they were. It was a mixture of turning someone to ice and pure threat. It made Bertrand gulp and that was something in itself. "I'll help Bertrand." He turned and grinned his most charming smile, "You'll have to drink it soon enough."

Then he ran from the room, unsure if Erin would brave the collar to hit him.

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Bertrand watched as Vlad prepared the food for Erin, he was surprised at the ease at which Vlad could prepare breather food. Bertrand knew that breathers ate salad, he'd had enough experience of it, most of the girls in the canteen seemed to eat it when he'd had to drag Vlad from there for his training.

Vlad dismissed what he'd offered, "Salad hasn't got enough sugar in for her." Vlad muttered, pushing the salad that Bertrand offered out of the way.

"Breather girls eat it." Bertrand offered the knowledge as if it was something Vlad should know.

Vlad looked at him, "They eat it because they want to be thin. Erin doesn't need it." He never thought that Erin needed to lose weight and thankfully neither did Erin, she was perfect the way she was as cheesy as that sounded. She'd be gaining weight soon, hopefully if the procedure worked, and he couldn't help but grow excited at the visible sight of their child growing inside her. Bertrand watched as Vlad slicked the white bread with something red and thick, it smelled disgusting to him. "What are you making her?"

"Jam sandwiches." Vlad told him, "Although she hates them." Erin really hated jam sandwiches but this time she needed to eat them.

"Then why…"

"She needs sugar, they're sugary. It won't hurt her." He offered him a smile, although they'd probably hurt the messenger who gave them to her. He looked at Bertrand and held the plate out to him. "I can't give them to her." He smiled, thankful that he was wearing the collar at this point.

Bertrand looked at the food with a look of pure disgust before yanking the plate from Vlad's hands. He just wished Erin didn't shoot the messenger in her hormonal state.

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The sight of slayers and the Count fussing over Erin nearly sent Vlad into a panic attack. He tried to see from where he was what was happening but he could only see shoulders and heads he couldn't see Erin at all. He tried to stretch taller to no avail, he'd be able to see if he could hover but the damn collar stopped him from doing that, it stopped him from doing a lot of things.

"What's wrong?" Vlad asked,

"I'm fine." She growled as she tried to push them from her, she hated being crowded over. She'd only ever let Vlad and Ryan get that close to her.

"She felt dizzy again." Ingrid answered; she'd called for them when it had happened.

"I'm pregnant Ingrid, I'll faint at some point its natural." Erin snapped and Vlad sent her a look telling her to apologise. They were only concerned for her, "Sorry." She muttered although it didn't sound particularly apologetic.

Ingrid nodded accepting it for what it was.

Erin saw the plate Bertrand held in his hands, she pushed the slayers back and stood quickly. She wanted to get away from the crowd as quickly as possible.

She strode across to Bertrand before flinging her arms out once more trying to balance. It was no good the whole world was swimming in front of her. She tried to concentrate on getting to Bertrand. She felt pins and needles all over her body. Her legs began to feel as if they were asleep, she couldn't move them and they felt as if they weren't there at all.

Bertrand ducked as the light behind him exploded. "VLAD!" Bertrand cried as he saw Erin's head droop to the side.

Erin's eyes rolled into the back of her head, Ingrid didn't manage to catch her this time. Erin was a complete dead weight.

Vlad dove downwards before she could hit the floor, the collar completely forgotten. The only thought on his mind was to catch Erin before she hurt herself. The Count dove towards his son as fast as he could and yanked it off him before Erin could be affected any more. Bertrand watched in complete confusion at the actions but he doubted that anyone else notice, their gazes were fixed on the young soon to be full half fang. Cool air circled the newly exposed skin making him shudder.

Vlad brushed the hair from his partner's face; she was convulsing and spasming frantically. He tried to hold her still but was afraid of breaking her bones in his grip; he already knew how fragile she was. He ended up holding her loosely as she twisted and turned in his embrace.

"Erin?" He whispered, "Please Erin." He pleaded with her to stop, to become her normal self. She clearly didn't hear him. For the first time in his life he wished he could pray. He cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead lightly, his lips lingering hoping that a display of affection would make her return to normal.

The rest of the clan and the slayers looked at them in pure confusion.

Ingrid knew that she should have said something sooner; she looked at Bertrand in fear. It would be the last time that she listened to Erin when it concerned the former slayer's health. Bertrand stepped closer to Ingrid; she nodded imperceptibly not scolding him for his support but thanking him.

Jonno took Vlad from Erin and placed her into the recovery position, making sure she couldn't choke on her own tongue. Vlad was too numb to do that himself. He'd never seen anything like this before. He held her shoulders lightly, not taking his eyes from her paling face.

"What's happening?" Vlad asked, his voice shaking in fear as he glanced around everyone else in the room.

No one answered.

No one knew how to.

Then things only got worse as Vlad notice something that shook him to the core.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	87. Blood Partners

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_This week has been a nightmare of thirty pompom daleks, if I see a single pompom or even a piece of wool in the next 48 hours I will scream! As you can tell this has occupied my time, although I could kick myself for suggesting to the year group they make pompom daleks for design technology. They're really disturbing in bright pink!_

_I have another three weeks of them as well (I won't cry)._

Chapter 85: Blood Partners

It couldn't be there, it couldn't be happening.

Vladimir looked at Jonno as Erin continued to spasm violently; she didn't show any signs of stopping at all. Jonno placed a hand on Erin's shoulder and tried to hold her still but she literally ripped herself from his grasp, too strong for him to hold for long.

Vlad reached down his hand shaking as he touched her jaw lightly. He traced her mouth looking at the new fangs that were protruding from her lips. They shouldn't be here yet, they didn't develop until much later.

Ingrid looked at her brother, she could see what had transfixed him. There were four not two, four brilliant white, razor sharp points. "Why does Erin have four fangs?"

She'd never known a half fang to develop four points.

Vlad traced the four sharp points, Erin should have only had two.

"She's becoming one of you completely." Jonno told him, unsure what else to say. Something was changing Erin completely into something that resembled a pure vampire. "Whatever's happening it's happening too fast."

"How do we slow it down?" Vlad shouted angrily, there were too many consequences if it happened too fast.

Mina looked at him, "We can't."

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The Count lowered himself down so he crouched beside the mother of his grandchild. He ran his hand across Erin's forehead, "She's burning up!"

"Why is this happening?" Vlad snapped, they'd run tests, they said everything would be fine. Everything was certainly not fine. "It didn't show in the tests!" Vlad could feel her temperature rising constantly.

"Maybe we didn't run enough tests or use enough of her DNA."

"You didn't use enough?" Ingrid snapped, "I thought the Slayers were thorough?"

Jonno tried to defend himself, "It's the standard amount for testing."

The Count shook his head, thunder rumbling in the background. The slayer's answer wasn't good enough for him or his clan. "Well Vladimir isn't a 'standard' vampire!"

"I should've known my DNA was too powerful for her." Vlad muttered angrily. He should've been able to guess that it would send her into overdrive. He didn't exactly have the simplest in genetic makeup. There was no one amongst his kind that matched him in any shape or form and the closest match was still seven months away.

"Then the baby might be stronger." Ingrid muttered looking at Vlad, Vlad's head snapped towards her. Ingrid gave him a shrug, it was something positive to think at least. The baby wouldn't give up without a fight.

"Why does she have four fangs?" Vlad asked Jonno, repeating his observation from earlier. "Erin should only have two."

"Maybe it's something to do with you being more powerful than the average vampire." Mina suggested, "You've rewritten her DNA so completely there's no way to tell she was half human."

Vlad didn't know how he felt about that. He liked the fact that there were supposed to be traces of human DNA left in her even when she was fully transformed.

Ingrid moved forward in confusion, "I thought you couldn't tell that a half fang was once human anyway?" Other than the obvious signs she thought all signs of humanity were wiped from their DNA.

"We can, their DNA is slightly different to a true blood vampire's, some of their human DNA remains but it's as if it's frozen so it can't fight back. I think Erin's hasn't been frozen it's been completely rewritten."

Vlad stroked the left side of her jugular where the needle had pierced, the site felt hot to his touch, he pulled back in worry. He wasn't sure it should be that hot.

Before he could speak Ingrid answered his silent question, "All newly bitten vampires are like that." Ingrid told him reassuringly, "It's a sight of 'infection' it will be hot." She had more experience than him.

Vlad looked at Bertrand for confirmation, Bertrand shrugged. "I've never created a half fang." He'd never needed one.

Ingrid smirked, her face lighting up, "So I actually have experience in something you don't?"

He narrowed his eyes at Ingrid, "I've heard of it."

She shook her head cutting him off, he wasn't going to spoil her moment. It was rare that she got something up on him. "But you've never done it?"

Vlad looked between them, anger building. "Erin now, flirting later."

What he expected them to do or say, they didn't know.

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Erin seemed to be getting worse; her head was now thrashing back and forth as if it was searching for something. Vlad was shaking as he tried to get her to calm whispering soothing words in the hope that she would start to hear him.

Bertrand's eyes snapped to Ingrid, _"She might be…"_ He trailed off telepathically.

Ingrid jumped, Bertrand had never spoken to her telepathically before. No matter how preoccupied Vlad was he noticed the way his sister reacted, Erin reacted exactly the same way. They were sharing a telepathic conversation.

Ingrid seemed to immediately understand what he meant, _"She's changing…"_ She didn't finish her sentence either, she knew he would know what she meant immediately.

Bertrand folded his arms and brought his right hand up into a fist to tap against his chin. _"It would make sense."_

Ingrid gave a shrug, _"But it's never been heard of before."_

"_Erin's not a normal half fang and Vlad's hardly normal."_

"_Don't remind me."_ Ingrid smirked back.

"What are you plotting?" Vlad snapped suspiciously making them both jump, he'd noticed his sister's smirk.

Bertrand bent down towards Erin, her eyes were beginning to move rapidly, REM. Vlad closed his eyes as it reminded him of his experiences with the crown. He'd lied when he'd said he only remembered the headache afterwards. "She's searching for a Blood Mirror. She needs one."

Mina and Jonno didn't understand, echoing each other in their question, "Why?"

"All vampires are linked telepathically to a Blood Mirror, she needs to establish a link with one. If she's becoming fully telepathic she'll need one. Even though Vlad's got his reflection he needs to be linked so any children will be recognised by it. He needs to link the baby to it and it needs Erin's DNA to do that." Bertrand began but was quickly cut off by Jonno.

"How does that help us here?"

Ingrid had the easy solution to that, "We link her to ours…"

"Will it work?"

Bertrand looked at Ingrid asking for permission to explain and she nodded. "We can tie other vampires to the mirror so Erin should be able to be tied."

Vlad closed his eyes, "We've already tied the baby to the mirror." He mentally counted down, five… four… three… two… one…

"You've already linked the baby to the mirror?" The Count asked deliberately, it was a family celebration. Vlad winced and nodded, he didn't want any fuss. "That's what you were doing down there before I caught you and Erin…"

"We didn't want you making a big deal of it!" Vlad immediately answered; there was some truth in that. The Count would have invited others to witness it, others that Vlad didn't know, assuming that he was willing to let it known that Vlad had fathered a child underage.

The Count ignored the fact he was underage this time, "It needed to be celebrated! Your first heir…"

Vlad let a fireball loose before berating himself for doing so, if he wasn't careful that collar would be back around his neck regardless of whether it was a ruse or not. "We're not you Dad! We like to keep things to ourselves."

"You won't be able to do that for much longer." The Count reminded him and Vlad murmured his answer under his breath.

"Yeah and you'll be the one interfering."

The Count's eyes narrowed, "I heard that,"

The Count shook his head, "It wouldn't work, Erin can be linked to it after mating but not before. If she's linked to it the Council will contest that it's not a true mating."

"I want her linked to a blank mirror." Vlad snarled at him. There was no way there was going to be a mating with Erin while she wasn't awake to contest it.

"We can't give her a blank mirror, there isn't any that exist!" They'd all been destroyed in the slayer attacks.

The Count grinned falsely at his son, "Then you mate with her now and we link her to ours."

His son shook his head vehemently, "NO!" Vlad snapped angrily, "Erin doesn't want to be mated yet and I'm not going to have her hate me."

Bertrand spoke softly, there were only two options. "Would you rather have her as dust?"

Vlad stroked Erin's neck, she was beginning to stop shaking violently and instead trembled. "I'd rather follow what she wants than have you tell me what to do." He reached down and kissed her forehead lightly, "I love you." He whispered softly to her burying his nose in her hair.

Mina lowered herself down to Vlad's height, a maternal instinct taking over in her. "Think of the baby. Erin loves the baby and you. She wouldn't want you to lose the baby if it could be stopped and you can definitely stop it."

Vlad shook his head; he wasn't going to let them try that one on him. "I'm thinking of both of them." He stepped closer to Jonno, "I'm not going to take away her choice. I'm doing what she wants."

"You can't ask her like this."

Vlad's eyes filled with raw hurt as he spoke, the memory wouldn't numb. "I already know her answer."

"So you'll let her turn to dust because you're both stubborn?" Jonno asked him, in too deep to give up.

Vlad's fangs dropped in the blink of an eye. "Don't you dare think you know everything slayer."

Ingrid shared a worried look with Bertrand, there was no one to rein him in although Erin didn't exactly rein him in he just chose to listen to her most of the time.

"Make it so she's your partner." Ingrid suggested. "Partners linked through a mirror, no ceremony involved."

The Count scoffed, "There has never been a 'partner' who was tied to a Blood Mirror." What his daughter was suggesting was ludicrous. It was a complete break from all vampire tradition.

Ingrid wasn't going to let that stop her idea, "Then Erin can be the first! She's the first born half fang; she can be the first Blood Partner." It wasn't the best term she could come up with but it's all she could think of on the spur of the moment and the title wasn't exactly the most pressing issue on the agenda.

Ingrid was forgetting something. "How do I do that Ingrid? It's still permanent!"

He was going to listen to her, she gripped his arm. Bertrand immediately shot forward just in case he needed to protect her but Vlad didn't shake her off. "But without a ceremony she can leave you, she doesn't make any vows to you, she can choose to be with another vampire, breather or slayer and not be part of their mirror. It's what you want isn't it, to give her that choice?" Ingrid's voice became softer as she spoke. Her little brother always put everyone else first. He wanted to give Erin the chance to walk away if she ever wanted to. "You need to make a choice Vlad."

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Vlad lowered Erin to the floor of the room, immediately her clothes became coated in dirt. He leaned down, slowly kneeling next to her and kissed her temple, "I'm so sorry." She showed no signs of hearing him.

"Are you ready?" Ingrid asked him softly, Vlad nodded.

It would be a similar process to the one they'd linked the baby to the mirror. He laced his fingers with hers and straightened her bent right arm towards the mirror. He hovered with his left over it before nodding to Ingrid.

"On three." He told his sister, "One… two… three…" Ingrid pressed Erin's hand to the mirror at the same time as Vlad touched his to it.

The mirror shimmered in an array of colours as before, it was as if the entire surface was oil and light danced across it.

In his head he mentally counted to sixty before drawing his hand back and leaving hers on it. They would need to leave it on there for another few minutes to tie her to it.

Her back arched towards the mirror sharply and Bertrand grabbed her to hold her from touching the mirror while Ingrid made sure her hand was still in contact with the surface even though her movement had nearly torn her arm from it completely.

Jonno hovered over the former slayer; he ran his hand over her forehead. She was cooling down the longer her hand was in contact with the mirror. "It's working."

"Her body is responding to the mirror." Bertrand spoke as a matter of fact. Vlad watched nervously, praying that the mirror would stop colour changing.

The mirror seemed to flash and swirl for hours in a rapid sequence before beginning to slow down. It flickered between being a mirror and colours before flashing twice and returning to a mirror.

It was over.

It was permanent.

They were Blood Partners.

He did his best to ignore the absence of her reflection in the mirror. He only hoped she forgave him for what he'd been forced to do to save her and the baby.

Vlad looked at the other vampires in question, throwing out a general warning to them all. "If she slays me after this I'm taking you with me."

He wasn't joking.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	88. Argue Not Hate

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Hard to believe this fic came about from a comment my mom made and the fact she challenged me to turn Erin into a vampire without Vlad biting her._

_I only hope the new series doesn't do an Enterprise with the arranged marriage thing and muck up Vlad/Erin like they did with Trip/T'Pol. (Still refusing to look at spoilers although I know there are new trailer things on the site – love the YD song 'He's a vampire!')._

_Tomorrow, 10th November, is officially my 1 year anniversary writing YD fic!_

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 86: Argue Not Hate

Vlad opened his eyes to see someone hovering over him. He threw his head back in surprise wincing as it hit the solid concrete floor. The sharp thud echoing around the small room. He could immediately sense that they were the only two people in the room.

He must have fallen asleep, for that he was angry with himself.

"Hey." The voice whispered, placing a hand on his chest caressing it through the material of his shirt.

Vlad shot upwards nearly hitting her forehead as he studied her. He brought a shaking hand to her cheek, hesitating on the journey, hardly daring to touch her in case it was just a dream. His imagination was getting worse.

Erin caught his hand closing the distance completely. He studied her completely; she was paler than before but not by much. Her lips were bluer than before as well. There was some warmth in her cheeks but it was fading. He brushed the pads of his fingers lightly across them. Her cheeks didn't have the flushed tinge he loved instead they were plain; luckily he didn't need to look at her cheeks to know when she blushed. Erin's emotions were always in her eyes and voice.

He lowered his hand to her chest; the beating of her heart had stopped completely. He was used to feeling it against his side or chest when they were alone after making love. It would take him some while to get used to.

"Why are we on the floor of the mirror room?" Erin muttered as she finally took in her surroundings. She shuddered at the thought of all the spider corpses over the floor, ignoring the fact she was probably kneeling in some.

He avoided her question, "You're scaring me too often." Vlad told her softly. This was twice there had been something wrong. He couldn't lose her, he'd come too close far too often. This time had to be the last he promised himself, he wouldn't let it happen again.

"I have to make sure you're paying attention." She teased pressing a quick kiss to his lips. He twisted slightly, kneeling so he could slant his mouth over hers. Erin immediately wrapped her arms around his neck forcing him downwards.

He opened his mouth to her and she sighed immediately as she felt his tongue brush hers. She decided that he was being too gentle and kissed him harder and faster. Drawing his bottom lip into her mouth and nipping it lightly.

Vlad pulled back as something caught his lip, it was a strange feeling. It wasn't unpleasant, just a shock. It was enticing really. They were sharp, he never realised how sharp.

"I'm sorry…" He placed a finger on her lips cutting her off, there was nothing to apologise for. In her shock at hurting him her fangs retracted. "I'm officially a half fang then." She muttered, she didn't sound resigned though she seemed to accept it without any problems.

"I can't really call you a half fang." He spoke quietly with a smile, Erin tipped her head in confusion, he gestured for her to lower her fangs, she did so with a moment's concentration. It would come more naturally to her within a week or two. He gestured to touch her fangs; they would be sensitive for month. Erin nodded not understanding why he wanted to touch them. "You've got four fangs like me."

Erin brought her hand up to her mouth. Immediately she felt the sharp points there. "Why do I have four fangs?" She should only have two.

"They think my DNA rewrote all of yours to make you something like a pure blood vampire and not a half fang." Vlad told her honestly, "Is that okay?" He sounded so much like a child asking the lame question.

Erin blinked slowly before nodding; there wasn't much difference between a half fang and a full blood vampire in her mind. At least she could still carry children and that's what the main issue was.

It would take her a while to adapt but she could get there she supposed.

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He placed a hand on her forehead, "You're still a little warm." He told her quietly, they had said a week originally but at her current rate it would only take a few days now. He didn't move his hand as he lowered himself back down to the ground stretching his legs out in front of him and pulling Erin in between of them.

Erin leaned into his touch, the new sensations confusing her. "You're warmer too."

"Because you're almost the same temperature as me now," He smiled at her, stroking her neck lightly. "You won't notice it."

Erin sighed or rather mimicked one, "I liked you being cooler than me."

"Do you feel any different?" He asked her softly, he searched her eyes for any changes.

Erin shook her head, "No." She answered, "But Ryan didn't change until he'd fully become like you."

He gave her a heart melting smile, "You've got your fangs, any changes would've already happened." He kissed her neck lightly. "You're beautiful." He muttered trailing his fangs up her neck, nipping the skin lightly.

Erin let out a low moan as he reached a sensitive spot between her ear and her jaw. "You're not wearing the collar." Erin realised, she hadn't considered it when she'd entered the room. She should have as the baby was still vulnerable to it but she knew that she was safe somehow.

"Dad didn't put it back on me and I'm not going to remind him yet." Vlad smiled at her, he pulled her downwards forcing her to straddle him.

"Vladimir!" As if on cue.

"Has your dad bugged the room?" Erin laughed dropping her head downwards to his shoulder. Her back was still arched as she leaned into him.

"He can go bite himself." Vlad muttered dangerously.

"You know nothing short of being fang cuffed together is going to stop him from putting that back on you." His face lit up with that idea. "And before you agree I'm saying no." She told him firmly. There was no way she was going to be cuffed to him for the indefinite future.

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Vlad had managed to bargain that if the Count let him be with Erin while the slayers and Renfield checked her over then he would wear the collar the moment it was over. Although it meant that he had to concede to something 'small', he didn't want to even think about what it could be.

Although he wished that he was wearing it as Jonno let slip what he'd been forced to do before he could tell her himself.

Jonno grinned at them, "It looks like Erin will be fine. She's adapted to your mirror without any problems."

"Vlad?" Erin was confused, she didn't know what they meant – at least she hoped she didn't know what Jonno meant although by Vlad's guilty look she could feel sickness building in her stomach.

He saw the panic in her eyes, "I had to tie you to the Blood Mirror." He told her quietly, this really wasn't how he wanted to tell her. If he hadn't been a coward he would have answered her question of why they were in the mirror room before.

Her voice trembled as she spoke, her eyes piercing him as her hands balled up into fists. "You said that only when we were married I could be tied to yours."

"I didn't have a choice Erin."

Terror gripped her, "Are we mated now?" She wasn't ready for that; she wouldn't be able to deal with it yet.

Vlad lifted his hand and stroked her cheek, "No." Erin let out a relieved whistle of air. Vlad looked down, he wasn't telling her something. She gently caught his chin and lifted his head to meet her gaze.

"Vlad?" She breathed as she felt wetness coat her hand. It seeped onto her fingers before the droplets gathered and dropped down Vlad's shirt.

He tried to look away but she wouldn't let him move. Her grip was firm, still nowhere near a full vampire's strength yet but he couldn't move. "I'm sorry."

"What is it?" She brought her other hand to his face and wiped the tears away.

"You'll hate me for it." He muttered, he didn't want her to hate him for something he had no choice in.

"We'll probably argue," She conceded, there was no denying that. He snorted in agreement. "But I won't hate you." She looked across at the click of a door to see the door to their room closing fully into its latch. Jonno was giving them privacy and for that she was grateful. "Tell me Vlad."

He tried to phrase it so she wouldn't get angry but he knew that it would be impossible. Her emotions were all over the place with her being pregnant and they would be heightened as a new vampire. "I tied you to my Blood Mirror. It can never be undone." His eyes tore at her but not enough for her to forget her anger.

Her anger spiked at that point, she was right they would argue. "You said I couldn't be unless I was your wife!" She didn't hate him, that was true, but she was furious with him. He'd tied her to his mirror when she wasn't ready for it. "You know how I feel about that Vlad. You tied me to it without asking, made me your mate!"

The pain in her voice made him shudder, he hated being the cause of it. "It isn't like that Erin!" He told her firmly, he wouldn't do that to her.

She folded her arms over her chest, her eyebrows raising as she took a defensive posture away from him. "Then what is it like?" She didn't give him chance to answer even though his mouth opened almost immediately in reply. Erin wanted to point out something. "All wives ties themselves to a mirror…"

Vlad shook his head, "They don't." He muttered, "Only those whose marriages are permanent. We tied the baby so the mirror recognised them other vampires can do that."

"So we're stuck with each other?" Erin couldn't believe it – not that she could imagine herself with anyone else. "You took the next step even though I didn't want it yet!"

Vlad's anger spiked at this point. "Try not to be too happy about it!" He snarled sarcastically. "I didn't have a choice. You needed a telepathic connection to one to survive. You and the baby would be dust if we hadn't done it. Mine was the only option!"

"And what was wrong with a normal mirror?" She snapped, her arms folded over her chest.

"It needs to be a vampire mirror, all 'blank' others were destroyed by the slayers." A normal mirror couldn't harness the power that was involved and the slayers had destroyed the others when slaying the clans. They had been the real targets to wipe out the most vampires in one go. "We couldn't wait. We had to do something." He paused waiting to see if Erin wanted to say anything, she didn't but he could tell she was still fuming. "We didn't have an official ceremony so it changes it completely."

A ceremony made all the difference.

Erin shook her head as something came to her, there was only other way she could think of that she could be tied to the mirror, "Please say we're not brother and sister." She couldn't handle that at all. Flashbacks of telling Ingrid that she didn't want to take her place as Vlad's sister were forced to the forefront of her mind. Something that was very disturbing.

Vlad shook his head thankful that hadn't been the outcome. "Nothing like that."

Erin felt herself relax. "But we're not married?"

Vlad winced; he might as well be as accurate as possible. "Not officially… no." it was slightly different from his answer earlier.

Her eyes darkened and he fought not to be distracted by that. He found it alluring in a strange way. "Vladimir…" She drew out and he winced, he knew that tone anywhere.

Vlad looked at her, repeating what he said in a way. "We aren't officially recognised as mated."

"Unofficially?" She asked him firmly.

"We're partners?" He answered worriedly as a slight question. He'd considered her his partner already before Ingrid had named it 'Blood Partners' but this was binding now.

Erin studied him, for some reason the thought of partners without an official ceremony to bind them wasn't as terrifying as being officially mated to him. "I'm not ready for a ceremony Vlad." Erin told him firmly and he nodded, he understood that.

He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, I would undo it…"

Erin forced herself to calm, this wasn't his fault. He was trying to save her and the baby. "What's does being partners mean exactly?" Erin muttered before he could continue. She rubbed her temples, afraid of the headache she knew was building. A full vampire for less than twenty four hours and she was suffering already.

"That nothing changes between us." He assured her. "You can still walk away from me if you want to." His voice lowered in sadness. "I told them I didn't want you to be mated to me because it was something you didn't want yet. The Blood Partners was Ingrid's idea."

Erin leaned forward before he could stop her, she kissed him lightly. His lips were still puckered in confusion as she pulled back. "I don't want to leave you."

"You wouldn't be Regent if anything happened to me unless our child asked you to be. You wouldn't be allowed to be my equal in any form. You wouldn't have the respect I'd have, you'd be known as the Heir Mother and not Queen." He'd wanted her to be known as Queen, he wanted her officially by his side. His voice was still lowered, "Other vampiresses would still be thrown at me." He had a small smirk, "but I couldn't have one as my mate would have to be tied to my mirror. I'd have to mate completely not just have a ceremony."

"So I've ruined your chances…"

Vlad caught her lips with his this time, kissing them sweetly, "I don't want anyone else." He had a smile as he said this, "It's only my power they'd be after then they'd stake me in the back." He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles lightly, "You haven't ruined anything, not this, not the baby, nothing at all." He squeezed her hand. "I love you."

"Love you too." She answered.

He pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry, if I had another choice I would have taken it."

Erin felt her anger deflate completely. This wasn't his fault, he'd tried to respect her decisions and this was the only way he could. "I know. I told you I wouldn't hate you." They argued like she said but it was a comfort that she knew them well enough to anticipate it on this.

"At least we can actually think about the baby now rather than waiting to miscarry." He answered; she nodded frantically a wide smile covering her face. She hadn't thought about the future until he said it. She was going to be able to deliver this child into the world.

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Jonno took that opportunity to interrupt, "The baby…" Erin and Vlad jumped they hadn't heard him return. Erin turned and glared at the slayer. Jonno didn't seem fazed, clearly he was spending far too much time with the Draculas. He saw the terrified looks on their faces he immediately sought to reassure them, "Erin should carry to full term." He saw the pair visibly relax, Erin subconsciously moved towards Vlad and he leaned towards her ready to support her.

"So I won't lose the baby?" Erin asked wanting to make sure she'd heard correctly. She didn't dare hope until she heard the words from his lips.

Jonno shook his head but he didn't smile however neither vampire picked up on that. Vlad immediately placed a hand on Erin's stomach. Erin placed her hand on top of his caressing the back of his hand. She let out a burst of laughter and dropped her head to Vlad's shoulder. She could now consider all the things she hadn't dared to imagine before.

A thought came to her, "I never did ask how long I'd be pregnant for."

He smirked a laugh escaping the now second youngest vampire. "What?" It wasn't a question he thought she'd ask.

"How long are vampires pregnant for?"

Vlad smiled gently and Erin admired his patience with her. "Nine months. You'll be carrying him or her for nine months."

Jonno cut in, it was better if he blurted it out. "That really isn't the issue here…" His courage failed him. How could he tell them this? He didn't know the stance Vlad's culture held on it. It would most likely be another first for his society.

The young couple shared a look.

What weren't they telling them?

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	89. Slap Cheek

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I'm back! My internet was cut, it was supposed to have been upgraded but it was cut instead. It's a little intermittent at the moment so fingers crossed it holds out._

Chapter 87: Slap Cheek

Jonno took a deep breath, Vlad's culture had never seen this before so he wasn't sure if Vlad would understand what he meant when he described it. He knew Erin would understand being a breather originally but Vlad still had some cultural barriers with their kind that he struggled with.

Vlad was looking at him expectantly but Erin seemed to have some kind of understanding in her eyes. She looked down very briefly towards her stomach placing a hand there before looking back up to him, her eyes were glistening.

He sent Erin a comforting glance and she nodded. Vlad looked between them in confusion, unsure why his Blood Partner was acting in such a way.

Jonno began to speak as softly as he could, "There is a chance that the baby may have some kind of damage. We won't know until it's born but there may be some… consequences of her being turned so fast."

"What do you mean 'damage'?" Vlad asked quietly. He didn't understand the term but there was definitely no doubt that Erin didn't from the way her eyes began to water. Jonno offered her a kind smile, he didn't want to upset her but it was better if they were prepared for the possibility.

Erin chose to speak, it was better if Vlad heard it from her. "The baby might have some form of physical or mental disability when its born." Erin looked down at her hands, she was supposed to have protected their child inside her, she felt as if she'd failed. She loved the child dearly and she couldn't understand why the baby had to be punished so much for simply existing.

"It's not a high chance." Jonno told him softly. "Just a possibility."

Vlad looked between them. "I don't understand."

"Jonno's talking about our child not being able to have a typical vampire life. He or she will find some parts of life difficult because of what happened to them over the last few days." Erin told him quietly, Vlad's gaze dropped to her stomach trying to imagine it.

Jonno nodded once Vlad had looked up from Erin's stomach. "We're working on the fact Erin went through the change slowly. Your DNA might have accelerated the healing in the baby so it recovered from what happened before any permanent damage that was done. Erin's become almost a full vampire so her healing will have increased as well. The baby should respond to that."

"If it didn't then what are we looking at?"

"I don't know." Jonno told him obviously, "It may need more care than the average vampire child, it might be confined to a wheelchair until its sixteenth birthday when the merging with its reflection will allow your child to heal fully. The mental might be some learning difficulties, behavioural problems or social skill issues, they won't resolve themselves."

"Okay." Vlad thought he'd finally gotten his head around what Jonno had said.

Erin looked her partner, afraid of what he was going to say. "Vlad?"

Vlad looked at them, "I don't care. This baby is what I want, what we want. If there are any complications then we'll deal with that if and when it happens." Erin gave him a watery smile, "It isn't anyone's fault that it happened, we could have lost him or her completely, having the baby at all is all that matters."

Vlad turned to the sound of a relieved sigh being released. Jonno realised he'd been heard and gave a relieved sigh. "Sorry, your kind has never had any kinds of disabilities, I mean other than those inflicted unnaturally." He was referring to his grandfather being confined to his wheelchair.

Vlad's eyes flashed, "Ingrid nearly confined me to a wheelchair Jonno, I think I have experience of what it might be like. This child is my heir and I don't care about anything other than the fact I love them. If we have to give it more care than we expected I will do that. I'm not going to watch them struggle in my world. I will do everything in my power to make sure my child has everything they deserve in life."

"Vladimir…" His father half sing songed and Vlad dropped his head down. Erin rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.

"Go." Erin encouraged him, Vlad looked at Jonno who nodded. Vlad reluctantly pushed himself to his feet. If he didn't go then the Count would come down and put the collar on him himself. Vlad didn't want Erin to watch that again.

He stood and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, "I meant what I said. I love you and I love the baby no matter what happens when it's born."

Her eyes watered and she stroked his neck. "I love you too."

"VLADIMIR!" The cry came again and he jerked his head to one side. Erin nodded gesturing for him to go and he sped out of the room slower than usual she noted.

"I was just worried." Jonno assured her once he was sure Vlad was out of ear shot.

Erin nodded, she'd been worried about his reaction as well, "I know but Vlad's not like other vampires."

"That makes him better than all the others."

Erin couldn't help but nod at Jonno's assessment.

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Ingrid folded her arms, blocking her brother from leaving the room. A small part of her liked the power she had over him when he wore the collar. He couldn't tap into any of his powers to escape being directly confronted by her.

"Why are you willing to wear that collar?" Her eyes were narrowed as she looked at him.

"I have to wear it Ingrid I don't have a choice."

"But Dad seems willing to take it off you to be near Erin, especially when she collapsed. If you were really being punished he wouldn't have done anything like that." Ingrid could see through secrets and her brother was hiding one.

"He had a change of heart." Vlad mumbled, trying to move past her again, he quickly tied his tie.

"You'd resist putting that collar back on at any other time." Ingrid tipped her head, "What's changed?"

"I've got school Ingrid, can we talk about this later?"

"You'd better."

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The classroom was packed; it seemed that everyone wanted to attend design technology today. Or rather they were curious to see what had become of Vlad and Erin in the lesson.

As Miss McCauley had reminded them they hadn't attended school for a while and was curious to know why they had placed as much distance between them as possible when they entered her office. Both had remained silent on that fact, Vlad was counting down a month until he left if it meant not having anyone interfere in his private life anymore.

Now Vlad was sitting petulantly with his arms folded as he looked across at his official partner, checking she was alright. Erin did her best not to laugh at his expression.

She offered him the smallest of smiles which he decided to blatantly ignore. He really was sulking. She knew how he felt, he hated his privacy being invaded and the fact he was wearing the collar wasn't helping him any. He could see and feel the girls shuffling closer to him with their distance.

Erin turned back and chuckled.

"Have you had another fight?" Becky asked her and to her credit she did actually look concerned.

Erin rolled her eyes, "We haven't had a fight and we don't fight that often anyway."

"Then why is he sitting on another table?" Becky was curious, she'd never known the pair of them to willingly separate under any other circumstances. Erin didn't have chance to answer before Becky sat herself down next to her. Her expression became that of someone stunned, Becky hadn't willingly sat by her when there was an opportunity to sit next to her Blood Partner. "Is it true?" Becky asked her quietly, "That you're expecting?"

"It's none of your business." Erin told her firmly turning away from Becky to face the board. Becky grabbed her arm and pulled her back around to face her. "Let go of me Becky."

Becky didn't let go, she wouldn't until Erin understood something. "You do know Carl's told everyone Vlad's walked out on you because you're pregnant?" Erin stared at Vlad who seemed to become increasingly uncomfortable. If she didn't know better she'd say he was empathic. He didn't seem to be able to look anyone in the eye.

Erin's eyes snapped to Carl, so that was why all the boys and some of the women were giving Vlad the evil eye. "I didn't." Erin admitted, anger flared through her.

Becky's voice was soft as she spoke to Erin, "Are you pregnant?"

Erin felt her eyes water; she knew that she had to answer. The rumour mill was already buzzing overtime. Erin looked down, Becky wasn't the first person she'd confide in by choice but there was something in Becky's eyes that made her want to tell the truth. Becky wasn't looking at her with an ulterior motive she was looking at her as a friend.

"Yeah." Erin muttered. Her head snapped up, she needed to explain something to her. "But Vlad hasn't walked out on me, he just can't be near me at the moment."

Becky furrowed her brow at Erin, "Why?"

Erin said the first excuse that came into her mind, she couldn't think of anything else. "Vlad's caught slap cheek." Erin answered; she knew it was dangerous for pregnant women. "It's why he's keeping his distance."

"How does that affect you?"

"I could lose the baby if he passes it to me." Erin told her through gritted teeth, "Vlad is keeping his distance to keep me safe." Erin looked away, "I suppose you want to go and tell everyone now."

"No." Becky admitted. Erin's head snapped up to hers. Becky's entire manner was accepting.

"Why not? I thought you'd want to sink your claws into Vlad or any other boy now I'm 'fallen'." Erin's tone was bitter she knew what all of the girls would think of her. She knew that most of the girls were vicious towards her and would take any opportunity to get at her.

"You really think I'd get at you because of this. I may have been after Vlad but he's devoted to you especially after what happened to you." Becky looked down; she was going to share something with Erin that she'd never told anyone. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "My mum had me at eighteen, Gran kicked her out when she found out she was pregnant with me. I think I know a little of what it's like. How did Vlad's Dad take it?"

Erin looked at Becky, if it was true (she had no reason to doubt it) then it explained why Becky was acting so 'nice' towards her. She found it disconcerting but Becky had begun to change towards her after the last set of accusations Carl had spread around the school about Vlad. Her gaze didn't seem so adoring towards Vlad but it was as if she'd realised (finally) that nothing could come of her crush towards Vladimir Count.

Erin shrugged, there was only one way the Count could take it. "Furious."

Her face softened and her voice became sympathetic. "Blamed you?"

Erin shook her head much to Becky's surprise, it was part of Vlad's culture that she was blameless. "Vlad." Erin found Becky's wide eyes terrifying, "It's his culture."

Becky encouraged Erin to sit next to her, the whole situation felt strange to Erin. "What are you going to do now?"

Erin might as well tell her there, she was bound to find out sooner or later. "Vlad's taking me back to his homeland next month, he asked me before we knew about the baby. We'll carry on there…"

"Won't you be away from everyone you love?" Becky still had genuine concern in her voice and Erin felt herself relax.

"Vlad's family is my family now, I don't really have a home. Ryan's all I've got. His Dad and sister aren't too bad when you get past theirs masks." Erin smiled reassuringly, "I'll be fine, Vlad won't let anything happen to me."

Then Erin saw something that made her spring into action.

TBC

_A/N: Thanks for reading._


	90. Knows More

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I've posted 'Dividing Magnets' and a new story called 'Skeletons and Cupboards'. I'd be grateful if you'd let me know what you think of them._

Chapter 88: Knows More

Vlad was shoved roughly against the wall, his head jolted back against it and pain flared through his skull. Without his powers and abilities he was more susceptible to pain, with a fleeting thought he hoped that Ingrid hadn't noticed.

Hands on his shoulder prevented him from moving, his back was arched over the small radiator that was there and he was thankful that it was the broken one in the room.

"You've dumped her and run then." He was referring to her being pregnant, that was blatantly obvious.

"I haven't 'dumped her'." Vlad protested angrily at the implication, he was more than angry he was disgusted.

Carl shook his head, Erin deserved better than him. "Once a vampire, always a vampire." He drew his fist back to hit Vlad, enjoying the fact he had control over him.

He froze as a blonde blur came between him and the vampire in question. His eyes took a moment to focus on what or rather who it was.

"Leave him alone!" Erin snarled yanking Carl's hand away from Vlad, she'd forgotten not to be so close to Vlad and doubled over in pain but she managed to shove Carl away from Vlad, the force of her blow to his chest pushing him back a few steps.

"Get back!" Vlad snapped at her, angry that she'd interfered.

"No." Erin snapped at him and Vlad growled. He was the one who stepped back out of the way.

Carl watched with a grin as Erin straightened and all traces of pain melting away from her face. "You can't be near each other." He looked at the collar, letting out a long laugh. "Did Daddy find out what you'd been up to with the slayer girl?" His voice was babyish and mocking, Vlad growled loudly.

Vlad smirked at him; it was unnerving for the Quester. "I thought you'd noticed she's not a slayer girl anymore." Carl slowly turned to face Erin, unsure he wanted to know what Vlad meant.

Erin smiled sweetly before widening it and opening her mouth to reveal four glistening fangs. She didn't run her tongue over them knowing it would repulse Vlad, it would shock Carl but she didn't really fancy disgusting herself as well by performing that action.

"You're supposed to be a half fang…" He muttered more to himself than anyone else. "You can't become like him, Ryan didn't when he was bitten…"

Erin grabbed him and shoved him backwards; he was giving away far too much information. "What do you know?" He knew how she could become pregnant if he knew that, that was why he didn't dispute it before.

Vlad looked around, his eyes catching sight of Bertrand and Ingrid in the entranceway. He didn't know how they knew what was happening but he was glad they were there. He couldn't stop Erin with the collar on but they would be able to if she went too far.

Carl shook his head, a sneer on his lips. "Nothing that I'm going to tell you." Erin shoved him back again, angrier this time, the plaster behind him cracked with the force.

"If you don't tell me I'll…" She squeezed her hands tighter making Carl gasp in pain. This was her maternal side showing through; it would be more prominent as a vampire.

"Erin! Stop!" Vlad snapped sharply. Immediately Erin let go of Carl's jumper and he dropped harmlessly to the floor.

Unfortunately Erin had seen it. "ERIN NOBLE!" The cry made her jump backwards; she spun to see Miss McCauley standing there her arms by her side in displeasure. "My office, NOW!"

Erin looked at Vlad who nodded; she should go with Miss McCauley. She turned back to face Carl but in that moment of distraction he'd vanished. She growled before seeing Miss McCauley gesturing in the direction of her office. Her head dropped down before she side stepped towards Ingrid.

Erin fished around in her pocket for something she rarely used, a small tub. "Put this on Vlad." Erin snapped at Ingrid, holding something out to her. The moment it fell into Ingrid's hands she walked off.

Ingrid looked at it completely confused. "Blush?"

"Vlad's supposed to have slapped cheek."

Ingrid blinked looking at Bertrand before watching the young vampire continue to storm off towards Miss McCauley's office.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

"Erin went a little… mad at Carl." Ingrid muttered speaking to her father. 'Mad' was a little too mild for the way Erin had reacted – ballistic might have been a better word.

"So what do you want me to do?" The Count dropped his paper and turned in his seat, throwing his arms across the back of the seat.

"Vlad needs to talk to her. So… take the collar off him for a while."

The Count considered his words briefly, "He can talk to her across the room."

Ingrid shook her head, "It isn't the same."

"Vlad is wearing that to…" He realised his mistake and trailed off, his gaze finding the fire watching as the logs crackled and popped.

Ingrid picked up on it, "'To' what?"

He changed his words, pretending what he'd originally intended to say had slipped his mind. "As punishment for getting her pregnant." The Count's eyes glowed signifying his lie.

Ingrid had enough of playing games now, she wanted the truth. "Why is Vlad wearing that collar?"

The Count ignored the question and Ingrid felt that she should interrogate her brother and Erin instead or should that be again? "I'll take it off him for a few hours. No more."

Ingrid nodded in thanks, it was something and it would give her time to figure out why the collar was being removed so readily. She would also have chance to study it or rather Bertrand would have chance to study it.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

The brass door handle squeaked as it was lowered, Erin spun sharply around to see who was entering her room without knocking. Fear gripped her at the thought that it might be Carl he'd entered before without asking. She stood slowly in a defensive posture ready to attack should it be him.

Once the door was fully opened she let out a sigh of relief.

"I thought you'd be in my room." Vlad muttered, she came in here when she wanted some form of comfort. He smiled at what she still held in her arms – Mr Cuddles. The monkey was important to her in seeking comfort when Vlad wasn't around. Erin looked up at Vlad, she prepared to move to accommodate him in the room but he pulled his shirt down showing his bare neck. He gave her a soft smile before pulling her down with him to sit on the small sofa in his room.

"You okay?" He asked her gently and Erin nodded. "What did Miss McCauley say?" He asked curiously, he wanted her to talk through it with him.

"That she's disappointed in me. That she expected better and violence is never the answer." Vlad nodded, it sounded like something a teacher would say. "She's telling your Dad." Erin winced at that one, Vlad did too. Erin looked down at her watch, "About now."

Vlad stroked her neck lightly, "He won't ground you if that's what you're worried about." The Count wouldn't blame her for her actions, he'd probably encourage her to try and make her hasty reaction rub off onto his son. "Did you get suspended?"

"Suspension is for vampires who practically wreck the school." She grinned at him seeing the way his head twitched at the memory, her smile faded though as she explained her punishment. "Detention for attacking him. For a week."

Vlad wished he'd been the one to do it. Erin didn't deserve the punishment. He would have acted the same way if he could without the collar in the way. "He knows more than he's willing to let on." He lifted his arm and she curled into him.

"If she hadn't interrupted I might have found something out, hypnotised him or something…"

Vlad shook his head slowly cutting her off. "Questers resist hypnotism, they're trained to. An experienced vampire would be able to hypnotise him but you wouldn't yet, besides you haven't been taught yet."

"I don't think Bertrand's willing to risk it." She muttered, she wasn't sure if she felt offended at that.

"I couldn't teach you." Vlad chuckled kissing her temple. Erin knew that but it made her smile anyway as she knew the meaning behind his words. "We'll find out what he's up to and what he knows."

"I know."

"It's better if we ignore him…"

"I don't want to talk about Carl." Erin told him firmly, if she talked about him she'd only get angrier. She couldn't afford to get angry as she wasn't sure whether she'd completely transformed just yet. "How long is the collar off for?"

Vlad looked outside, or rather he could see outside through the crack in the curtains. There was still a few hours of daylight left. "Until nightfall."

"Let's make the most of it then." She whispered before grinning at him, they could talk about Carl afterwards but she couldn't see the Count willing to take the collar off again. There had been reasons for each time he had and she could imagine there being another reason.

Vlad pulled her closer and Erin clicked open his coffin, turning in amazement that it actually opened for her. Vlad smiled, "I trust you, so only you can open it other than me." It was something that had been made specifically for him, no one else could open it.

He stepped inside and pulled her with him, Erin followed him limply letting him pull her onto his lap. She smiled resting her forehead against his. Vlad remembered something and clicked his fingers. The sound of the door locking echoed around the room – he wasn't taking any chances.

Vlad pressed his lips against hers lightly before pulling back with a smirk before she could deepen the kiss. Erin let out a discontented whine and he held back for a moment before kissing her again, this time letting the kiss deepen. She raised her hands to his neck and pulled on his tie, loosening it before throwing it behind her. It landed with a muffled thump on the floor.

Erin moved her hands to Vlad's shirt undoing the buttons slowly as he pulled at her tie. She pawed at his shirt trying to push it from his shoulders, Vlad let out a chuckle as it didn't register that she hadn't undone all of the buttons. He gently pushed her back and undid the remaining two buttons before making light work of her shirt as well.

Erin's lips moved down his jaw to his neck as he removed her shirt. He paused a few times as he grew distracted by what she was doing. Erin extended her fangs downwards and slowly nipped the soft, supple skin of Vlad's neck. He let out a soft moan, she smiled at the sound moving even closer to him, pressing herself fully against him.

Erin felt his lips close to her neck in return, she shivered in anticipation of him returning the action but then he froze completely under her.

After a few seconds he pushed her back, fury across his face. She landed with a bump back in the coffin, dropping the few inches from his lap.

Vlad shot across the room and stood defensively by the door. His whole body coiled ready to attack a mixture of fear, hurt and anger clear for all to see.

She'd only ever seen this kind of rage from him a few times before. It was directed at her.

She shook her head in confusion.

What had she done wrong?

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	91. With or Without?

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_There's only one chapter tonight, I was focussing on getting the others written for my other stories._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 89: With or Without

The future Grand High Vampire knew he had to get out of the room before he said something he couldn't take back.

He scoured the room looking for his shirt; he located the white thing and snatched it off the floor. He refused to look at Erin at all, he wasn't sure he'd be able to control his anger if he did.

How could she? He was angry at what she'd done. She didn't even seem to know what she'd done.

Vlad grabbed his shirt and scowled at her scathingly. He threw the shirt on with such force that some of the stitches ripped. Erin winced at the sound; it seemed more distinct with her ears. She watched him, hurt filling her at her actions that had upset him and the way he was acting towards her.

"What did I do?" Erin asked him softly. If anything her comment made her angrier. Her confusion seemed to hurt him.

Those words made him freeze as he opened the door; his hand gripped the brass door handle firmly. He could feel it beginning to twist and buckle under his fingers but he didn't care, the metal would survive his grip.

Vlad looked at her and blinked, "If you don't know then maybe you should learn." He snarled at her. "And when you do make sure you don't do it again unless you actually mean it."

With that he slammed the door leaving her alone in the room with her thoughts and confusion.

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A soft knocking at the door made Erin jump, she'd replayed their encounter over and over in her head but she couldn't figure out what she'd done wrong. She shuffled around frantically rebuttoning her shirt before the door opened, cursing as the buttons went into the wrong button holes.

"Come in." She managed to call out but her voice was hoarse from the thickness of her emotions.

"Erin?" Ingrid looked at Bertrand, they'd felt the anger radiating from this room and they'd heard the door slam all the way from the training room.

"I've upset Vlad." Her eyes glistened, shining in the dim light.

"What happened?"

Erin shrugged, "Nothing." Erin told her, she didn't know what had happened. One minute everything was fine then he'd frozen and pushed her away from him.

"Did you say anything?" Erin shook her head they weren't really talking at the time. "What were you doing?" She had a feeling that this was going to be embarrassing enough.

"Do I have to say in front of Bertrand?" Erin spoke through gritted teeth. Ingrid looked at Bertrand and he nodded she wanted him to find out the story from Vlad's side.

Bertrand dropped a soft kiss to Ingrid's lips before walking backwards from the room. He wanted Erin to see in his eyes that he wasn't planning on eavesdropping on their conversation.

When the door clicked shut, Erin wrung her hands out in front of her; she didn't particularly feel comfortable discussing this with Ingrid. Ingrid sat herself down on the edge of the coffin, her gaze was suddenly drawn to the ties thrown haphazardly on the floor around the coffin and she had a feeling that this conversation might scar her.

Erin was thankful she couldn't blush. "We were about to…" She gestured with her hands and thankfully Ingrid understood the message. "I kissed him then I moved to his neck." Ingrid tried her hardest not to look uncomfortable discussing her brother's love life. "And I bit him lightly, he was about to do the same to me when he pushed me away. He just seemed to change…"

Ingrid suddenly fixed on her words, or rather one key aspect of her words. "With or without fangs?"

"What?"

Ingrid rolled her eyes, "The bite."

She didn't understand why it was so important. "He's done it to me before."

Ingrid wanted an answer so he pressed again. "With or without fangs?"

Erin looked at her, "With." Ingrid shook her head, that was what had scared her brother. "I've bitten him before without them. I don't understand…"

"Without fangs it doesn't mean the same thing. If you'd marked him with your fangs it would have proved that you were committed to him for the rest of your unlife. Usually the first bite is through a mating ceremony and as you don't want one yet…"

Erin finished, "He's confused." Erin suddenly understood everything. "That's why he was so angry." Vlad was angry that she'd refused to mate with him legally but she was willing to do it in a moment of passion. It scared him that she'd regret it and how she'd react when he returned the bite.

Now she knew what he meant that she should find out what it meant and not do it again unless she meant it.

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Bertrand barely managed to get through the door to the throne room before he was assaulted verbally by Vlad.

"Erin bit me!" Vlad shouted angrily at Bertrand, his hand touched his neck looking for any traces of blood from a puncture wound even though the blood would just sit there and not flow down his neck without the aid of a beating heart.

Bertrand was confused, "She bit you?" He couldn't see any marks anywhere near Vlad. Vlad grabbed a cushion and plumped it; he needed something to hit to iron out his frustrations.

"With fangs." He snapped hitting the cushion harder, the dust billowing out from inside it.

Bertrand suddenly understood, "On the neck?" Vlad nodded. He started pacing angrily; Bertrand could see Erin's traits in that. It was amazing he hadn't picked up any of his sisters after living with her for fourteen years but a slayer who'd he'd known for a year he'd gained things from. "Maybe she didn't know what it means…"

Vlad shook his head frantically, "She knows what it means! I've done it to her before!" Of course he'd never used his fangs on her, just his normal teeth.

"Then why are you finding it such a big deal!" Bertrand asked him, he couldn't understand his pupil's anger. Then everything became clear, "Has Erin bit you before and did you bite her with fangs?"

"Yes she has and you know I wouldn't have been able to with fangs…" It was common sense, the moment he' would use his fangs he would seal her to this life before they knew what she was.

That raised another question then. "Does she know about fangs?"

"Of course she does!" Vlad growled, it was their sign of affection and trust. "She won't mate with me through a ceremony but she'd willing to mark me without one!" He wanted to do things properly, not have her mark him in a moment of passion then regret what it stood for when they were in the afterglow. "I nearly bite her back!" Vlad admitted, "I nearly marked her when she doesn't want that." That was what had actually heightened his anger.

"Have you told her what it means fully?" Vlad went quiet, he hadn't mentioned the fangs part he just assumed it was common sense. "If she bites you she's committing to you and you're angry because she won't mate with you. Talk to Erin Vlad, make sure she understands why you were so angry."

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Erin slowly woke to someone running their hand up and down her back. She didn't open her eyes at first instead she shuffled forwards trying to bury herself further into their embrace.

Arms tightened around her and she let out a contended sigh before her eyes snapped open and she shot upwards. She wiped her eyes sleepily before looking downwards at Vlad. He smiled up at her, he seemed much calmer than before. She lunged for him holding him tightly; Vlad could feel his ribs being crushed under the force of her embrace. "I'm sorry." She whispered into his chest. "I didn't realise that…"

Vlad took her hands in his, finishing off her sentence. "It means something else with fangs." Watching her sleep had given him the time to calm down.

Erin wanted to explain why she'd done it. "I thought as you did it with yours…" He sat himself up opposite her. It would be easier if he was at the same level as her.

He shook his head, now he knew where the misunderstanding was sourced from. "I retracted them when I nipped your skin. It doesn't mean the same with fangs."

"I don't understand."

He tried to explain it in the easiest terms possible. "Fangs easily pierce the skin and leave a mark, it's called a fang bite when that happens. Fang bites are only allowed between married couples. We bite each other at the ceremony and then it's permitted afterwards. It shows ultimate commitment. The bite never heals, it's always visible."

She looked away, "We're committed as Blood Partners though." They were committed permanently that way.

"If you want to bite me just make sure your fangs are away." He teased lightly. "Just no bites until a ceremony or I might bite you and I don't want you to regret it." It was more instinctual now she was a vampire. He knew it wouldn't harm her but he didn't want to take the chance, he'd almost bitten her when she'd used her fangs on him.

Erin looked horrified but for another reason, "I don't want you becoming ill because of my blood."

Vlad shook his head, "It's not the same." She tipped her head in confusion, "I wouldn't be drinking it I'd only pierce your skin nothing more. There wouldn't be enough of your blood in my system to hurt you."

Erin stroked his neck, watching in relief that he didn't stiffen under her touch. "I just wanted to show you I loved you."

Vlad kissed her neck tenderly, showing he'd forgiven her actions. "You don't have to prove anything to me. I know you love me and I love you too. You became a vampire to carry our child, that's all I need to know."

Vlad leaned towards her to press his forehead against hers when his whole body was pitched forwards as the building shook.

A number of loud bangs reverberated around the building as if one explosion was setting off a chain.

He looked upwards before yanking her downwards and covering her body with his.

He clicked his fingers as fast as he could.

The coffin lid closed above them just as something impacted with the solid metal of it, denting it and jamming the opening mechanism.

They were trapped.

But they didn't know what awaited them outside.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	92. Jammed

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_It's impossible for me to type 12,000 words a day so I'm aiming for 6,000 so there's a going to be a little change to postings but there should be a chapter for each fic at least every other day but a post from me every night if that makes sense. This story will be updated with at least one chapter a night as I really want to get to work on the sequel. I have the first four chapters already written._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 90: Jammed

Erin looked up at Vlad inside the cramped coffin; they had never closed it before. She felt herself begin to panic in the small space. She'd never been in a space as small as this before. Her own coffin had never had the lid closed before. She couldn't stand it.

She tried breathing, panicking as she couldn't draw in air. She couldn't get her lungs to work which made her panic even more.

Vlad heard her gasps and quickly caught her face and forced her to look at him. Her eyes darted everywhere but at him.

"Look at me." He told her softly and slowly her eyes rested on him, "You're a full vampire now, you don't need to breathe."

Erin nodded understanding his words, she felt herself relax. He kissed her forehead lightly, feeling her still underneath him. He continued to hold her face until she completely calmed down.

She looked past him, upwards at the still rounded coffin. She would have thought that the coffin would have caved in with the force of whatever it was thrown at them.

"What was that?" She moved to click her fingers but he grabbed her hand and held it tightly.

"Don't."

She understood why he'd done that, "Whatever did that could be waiting for us outside." She whispered.

That wasn't it; well it was part of it. "No I think it was the roof that landed on my coffin and…"

Erin looked at her watch, "It's still daylight, for another hour at least." She dropped her head back downwards onto the soft cushioned interior of the coffin. Daylight would kill them both, Vlad would be able to withstand it for longer than her that's if she'd completely changed and there was nothing to say that she hadn't at the moment.

"The mechanism's probably jammed anyway." There was no way he could open the coffin, she wouldn't be able to either, using the locks.

Erin looked at him in confusion; there was no way he could know that. His visions didn't work like that usually it was when she or one of his family was in danger, although she supposed now could be classed as being in danger. "How do you…"

He lifted her hand upwards to where the two halves of the coffin lid met. He gently ran her hands down the seal. Her eyes widened in understanding as she could feel a small bump there. The halves had been pushed inwards, just a fraction but it was more than enough to jam the mechanism. It wasn't visible to the naked eye but it was clear to feel.

"I might be able to open it when the sun goes down." Vlad muttered, glancing upwards. "Until then…"

"We're stuck in here." She finished, looking around at their latest 'prison'.

At least there were no bars.

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Erin really didn't like this sensation, she didn't like feeling this closed in. She tried to move but only succeeded in catching Vlad in the stomach.

"Sorry." She muttered trying to force her eyes to compensate. They hadn't fully adapted to the dark yet, although she'd never really had a problem before. It was either that or she really didn't want to think of how small and dark their prison was.

He was growing worried; there were a number of expressions crossing her face. "You okay?" He looked at her.

"Yeah, it's just different; usually we leave the coffin wide open…" She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the sensation that was growing.

"You don't like being in closed coffins?" He had a faint smile on his face as he said the words. "Being a vampire is going to be interesting." He grinned unable to hide it anymore. Vampires were protected by the lids of their coffins, he needed to keep his closed at all times for protection when he slept on his own, besides it wasn't practical with the both of them as they were now uncomfortably proving.

Erin gave him the most indignant look she could muster. "Apparently I've always been a vampire and I've survived in beds since I was born." She told him as a matter of fact. "I can sleep in a coffin if the lid is open as well." She pointed out, "You know that as well as anyone. I just don't like being closed in."

She didn't really have a choice in that. "With everyone out to slay us, we'll need to close the lid more often. Especially you on your own." She pouted at him; she didn't like his words at all. "It won't be as bad in a coffin where there's more room." He assured her nodding, he'd felt the same way with his coffin but he'd grown reluctantly used to it.

"Really?" If he could do it then she could she supposed.

"Promise." Vlad's expression softened, "When we move to Transylvania I promise we'll have a bigger coffin…"

Erin smiled brightly up at him. "Are you asking me to move in with you?" She felt giddy; he was asking her to move into his room, for there to be no barriers between them at all. She didn't know how his family would feel about that or his kind but she didn't care.

"You don't have to," He sounded unsure, she hadn't heard him like that in a long time. "I thought that we could share…"

He didn't get to finish as she leaned up and kissed him slowly, wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him closer to her. She slowly pulled back but he followed her not wanting to break the kiss. She managed to pull back for the briefest of seconds letting out a laugh. She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him back gently. "That's a yes, just in case you didn't understand." She laughed before groaning as he shifted. "You're heavy." She murmured looking down the length of him.

Vlad narrowed his eyes at her; he pulled back so sharply he hit his head on the damaged lid. He winced ignoring the stabbing pain throughout his skull. "You don't usually mind."

Her face took on a mischievous expression, "Usually you're not there for long." He usually shifted and pulled her across his chest.

He dropped his head down to his chest, "I get the message."

She was hinting that she wanted him to move.

He tried to shift his weight and only succeeded in drawing a pained gasp from Erin. He winced trying his hardest to avoid knocking her stomach. He was trying to lift himself off her so she could slid across but ended up putting his foot on her leg.

Erin's elbow found his ribs and he let out an 'oomph' as it dug sharply into him. "Sorry." She whispered as she tried to give him some space to manoeuvre himself around.

He managed to press his back awkwardly against the side of the coffin, bending and arching it painfully. Erin mimicked his actions so she faced him.

Vlad tenderly wrapped his hands around her waist and tipped his head asking if she was ready. Erin nodded; they had to move at the same time to achieve this. He nodded head as he counted three before rolling them clockwise.

Erin came to a halt across his chest, her left hand trailed up to his shirt collar resting palm down there. Her legs tangled with his and she let out a sigh at the more comfortable position. The only downside was that she was now closer to the lid. She closed her eyes; it was an easy problem to solve.

"Now you're too heavy." He taunted with a grin, her eyes snapped open and she hit him lightly on the chest.

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The time passed more comfortably like this, she like the way his hand traced patterns on her shirt. She was curious what he was drawing. Vlad loved art, there were drawings of his all around his room – or at least there had been before the roof had caved in on them. His movements were hypnotic and enough to send her to sleep if she let herself drift off.

"Vlad?"

He turned his head towards her. "Hmm?"

She lifted her head up and brought her other arm up to pillow her head on his chest. "I'm sorry about earlier. Nearly marking you with my fangs."

"I know." He turned towards her a fraction, "I overreacted. I was just upset that you were going to do it without knowing its importance."

"I know now." She smiled at him, before kissing his neck and nipping it lightly as proof with her normal teeth. She was glad he didn't shudder or push her away as it proved that he had forgiven her for her impulsive actions. "I won't do it until we mate." She promised him. "Although being Blood Partners should have some perks." She told him with humour.

Before he could ask her what she meant something caught his attention.

"Shhhh…" Vlad whispered, he could hear something outside.

Erin tipped her head listening carefully, she couldn't hear anything at first but then her mind fixed on something. The sound suddenly seemed to be amplified tenfold and she winced at first before she became used to it and listened intently.

It was a shuffling sound, actually more of a scuffling outside. Something was scraping against the locks of the coffin, trying to open the mechanism. The mechanism couldn't be opened singly it could only be opened as one – at least when the coffin was undamaged that was the case.

Vlad looked to Erin and nodded. It was now or never.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. The mechanism was useless so he focussed his mind on the hinges of the coffin instead.

The pins in the hinges rattled frantically as he concentrated. There were eight hinges on his coffin, less than the locks, he had to concentrate on.

Erin could see the pins slowly dropping from the hinges inside the coffin. This power of Vlad's always amazed her; he was growing stronger every day with them.

His eyes suddenly snapped open as the last pin dropped out and landed in the inside furnishing.

"Ready?" He whispered for her ears only, a whisper that quiet couldn't be heard by anyone on the outside.

"Yeah." She whispered.

He clicked his fingers once.

The lid flew from the coffin bursting through the wall that lay in front of it, leaving nothing more than a pile of rubble and dust floating to the ground.

Leaving them vulnerable to whoever was waiting on the outside.

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	93. Overkill

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I have caught the flu and unfortunately it's got to my chest. I have to ride it through as I'm allergic to antibiotics now. This week is just one of those where nothing seems to go right. I apologise if things are a little muddled it's how my head is feeling at the moment._

_Please let me know what you think._

Chapter 91: Overkill

Dust clogged the air. It swirled slowly and determinedly refusing to settle.

Bertrand slowly sat up, wincing as his bones cracked into place. Heavy objects fell off him, clattering and echoing around what had once been a corridor.

He batted his hand towards the dust trying to clear his vision, he was glad he couldn't breathe – he wouldn't have been able to.

Rubble lay all around them, collapsed in from the ceiling of the cellar. Whatever had caused that initial silent explosion had triggered aftershocks all over the building.

The individual room of the cellar were now one giant open plan room.

He looked beside him, Ingrid wasn't anywhere near him.

Then he'd remembered, she'd been the one to push him away.

His eyes frantically searched through the fog, trying to find Ingrid.

His eyes caught something reflecting in the light, something metallic. He reached for it wincing as he felt his muscles protesting. He couldn't see what it was. He grabbed it, it was one of Ingrid's necklaces.

He looked round, he still couldn't see her.

Then he saw something else, in the corner, something white.

A hand.

Bertrand dove towards the hand, her hand was flat against the floor. He looked above it at the pile of rubble. She was underneath it.

Bertrand frantically began pulling at the rubble, tossing it to one side. Each piece landed with a bang and everywhere it landed it threw up another cloud of dust and debris.

He worked desperately to remove every ounce of rubble that was on top of her. It was a job that seemed to take hours. Parts of her dress were torn wide open from the sharpness of some of the rubble.

The pile of rubble seemed to grow but more seemed to be on top of her.

He threw the last piece away into the corner of the 'room'.

He took in her body for the first time, he'd been too busy to notice before. She was lying down, face down in the dirt. He tenderly cupped her neck. "Ingrid?"

She didn't make a sound. He searched her body with his eyes looking for injuries but he couldn't find anything immediately obvious.

Bertrand brushed his mind gently against hers, he could feel her inside. He felt relief flood him, she wasn't about to crumble to dust in front of him.

Very slowly, and very carefully he turned her over. Brushing the dirt away from her face.

Her face was covered in small cuts, he stroked her cheek lightly. He gently poked her mind with his and soon he felt her slowly wake. Ingrid head moved a fraction before her eyes snapped open. Bertrand smiled at her. She smiled back at him before seeing his dishevelled state.

"What happened?" She muttered, she remembered coming down here for bottles of blood to sneak back to their rooms. Then a muffled sound and then… nothing.

"You pushed me out of the way when the ceiling and walls collapsed." Ingrid looked up seeing chunks of the ceiling missing. Clearly the whole ceiling hadn't collapsed as the building – or at least this part of it – was in one piece. "You were underneath the rubble."

"Ramanga?" She asked in fear.

Bertrand shook his head, "Its daylight, he can't attack during the daylight." He pulled her against his chest. Ingrid relaxed against it, feeling safe and comfortable. She reached up with her right arm to play with his hair before pulling back with a sharp cry.

His eyes clouded in concern for her, "What's wrong?"

"My arm." She hissed.

"Where?" Bertrand asked her softly, moving his hand down the length of it.

She muttered through gritted teeth. "Elbow. I can't straighten my arm." She saw the guilt cross his face and she knew it had to be address immediately. She tucked her arm back into her side, feeling the pain slowly ebb. "What's wrong?" She asked him quietly.

"I was supposed to be the one to get hurt not you."

"I wouldn't have been able to carry you," There was no way she would have been able to move him and they needed him if anything came down to combat. Only he and Vlad were trained in any form of combat. "Anyway this way you'll have to make it up to me." She teased, "Much more fun than me having to make it up to you. You'd just have me training all day."

Bertrand grinned before stroking her neck gently, "What do you want me to do?"

She let out a short laugh. "I'm sure you'll think of something." She felt herself relax but coughed as her chest felt like it was on fire.

Bertrand lowered his hand to her chest but paused, asking if it was okay for him to feel her torso. Ingrid nodded before regretting it as he poked gently. She took an instinctive gasp of air, he winced and looked at her once more bringing his fingers back after receiving no more gasps. "I think you might have cracked a rib." It wasn't life threatening to her but it would be uncomfortable for a week or two.

She jumped as more rubble dropped from the ceiling. "We'd better get out of here." He muttered. He didn't really want to face whatever might be out there but it had to be safer than staying in here.

"I can get Renfield to check my arm." She told him and he nodded.

"And bandage your ribs." He informed her trying to keep his expression passive and tone neutral he knew how painful setting them was from experience.

He pushed her forwards lightly standing before grasping her waist and hoisting her upwards.

He gently set her on her feet but she immediately crumpled. "And my ankle." She added.

She reached down to take her boot off. Bertrand caught her hand. "If you do that and it's broken it'll make it worse." He stroked her knuckles lightly. "I'll just have to carry you out."

She half crossed her arms indignantly, or at least crossed her good arm. She couldn't move away from him as he was the only thing holding her upright. "You're not carrying me anywhere."

Bertrand didn't listen, he swept her into his arms making sure her good arm was pressed between his chest and her side where she couldn't hit him. She glared at him but he simply smiled, he wasn't going to let that faze him. He'd seen Erin give Vlad worse glares.

"Ready?" He asked receiving no reply although he didn't expect to. "Right then." He muttered before carrying her from the cellar.

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Vlad was the first to move, he shot to his feet darting around towards the figure who'd entered the room trying to catch them off guard.

It worked for the briefest of moments and that was all Vlad needed.

By the time they realised what was happening their eyes widened as their head slammed into the wall knocking them into unconsciousness.

"You okay?" Erin asked him as he straightened. She knew he hated doing that.

"Yeah, I'm…"

Vlad was suddenly knocked to the ground, his legs kicked out from underneath him.

His head hit the floor. His eyes closed instinctively before remembering to roll. He managed to do so in time as the stake splintered off the floor, the sharp end snapping off. The balding slayer threw it away from him with a growl, pulling out another stake.

Bertrand would've scolding him for not checking his partner was indeed out cold.

This was the slayer that had tried to take her in the courtyard and the slayer that had tried to take her from the hospital – Nigel. Vlad knew they wouldn't leave her with them for long. They'd been trying to lull him into a false sense of security.

Erin didn't know how to access any of her powers other than telepathy so she didn't know what to do. She could partly use self-defence but that was as far as it went.

She could only watch as Vlad tackled the slayer throwing him back. She was glad more now than ever that he wasn't wearing that collar.

The slayer lunched for his throat although what they would do Erin wasn't sure of, it would only make Vlad angry.

The slayer didn't grasp Vlad's throat instead Vlad managed to kick him back in the chest. The slayer flew upwards and inadvertently towards Erin; he lunged for Erin seeing that he was closer to her. Erin stepped backwards.

"Stay away from my Blood Partner." Vlad spoke very lowly.

He turned towards him, "A Blood Partner?" He let out a chuckle. He looked at the look between the two of them, his smile wiped from his face as he understood the impact of Vlad's words. "You know what she is?"

Erin opened her mouth revealing her four fangs. Nigel stepped back, he'd been amongst those who'd brought her to the Guild when she was two days old. He'd seen the half fang grow up amongst the slayers and whilst she didn't sicken him like other vampires in her nature it was still hard for him to swallow.

It was disgusting that she'd gone back to their kind when the slayers had taken her in and raised her.

"You could've been normal, no one would have ever known what you were if you hadn't fallen for him."

Erin shook her head, "I would've found out."

The slayer threw something small and metallic across the floor, Vlad knew what it was but Erin didn't immediately, she instinctively pushed him out of the way sending him skidding across the floor on his side. By the time she'd realised she was trapped inside a sun cage. She went to touch the bars even though she knew what they were.

_"Erin don't!"_ Vlad snapped at her, he knew what the burn felt like. He hoped that using telepathy would stop her from revealing what she was too soon. He was angry with her for doing that, he could have escaped it easily, Erin couldn't.

His distraction cost him as he found himself trapped in a sun cage of his own. Erin looked at him apologetically, he nodded letting her know it was alright. He would've pushed her out of the way if it had been intended for her.

The slayer dropped to the floor, lowering something down between them.

It was a device of some kind, a glass orb filled with purple liquid was wired to something that looked like a timer, on the opposite side also wired to the time was a canister that didn't look inviting. He leaned down and placed something inside the time, it looked like a remote of some kind.

He looked up, yellowing teeth in a wide smile. "UV grenade and garlic bomb, messy but effective." He patted the device gently. Erin's gaze snapped to Vlad's, it would kill both of them.

That weapon was overkill.

Vlad reached out with his fingers, the moment they were about to touch the purple UV bars they shimmered before exploding, the slayer looked at him in astonishment. Erin and Bertrand were the only ones who knew he could do that. It simply disintegrated in the air.

He stepped closer to Erin grinning, waving a stake towards Vlad in warning. He reached behind him his hand angled towards Erin ready to plunge it into her.

The slayer looked at the pair of them, "I guess this is the end then."

He reached down and flicked the timer on the device, three minutes and counting. He placed a cover on it. Argentalium. The metal sealed itself somehow, Vlad didn't have time to consider the chemistry of it, the main thing was that was protecting the contents from being tampered with.

"You stop the timer on the grenade then the cage collapses around your 'Blood Partner' instantly and the garlic bomb explodes… there's no way to stop it." He grinned manically at them, Vlad wouldn't be able to react quickly enough. "Either way you're both dust."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading._


	94. Sideways

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_I apologise for not updated Dividing Magnets, I can't seem to be able to get it to recognise the new chapter. It keeps coming out as symbols instead of letters; I have a few more tricks up my sleeve though._

Chapter 92: Sideways

Vlad stared at the device unsure what to do with it. It was clearly a well thought out device.

Nigel looked at the pair of them a smirk on his face, he didn't need to leave the room he could witness this and he would. The garlic would make him cough but that was about the extent of the damage it could do to him.

Erin looked at her cage; the box that operated it was on the outside of the cage. There was no way she could put her hands through it to reach it and destroy it. "Why do you want the truce to end?" Erin asked him outright.

He looked at her as if she'd gone mad. "Our purpose is to slay vampires, not date them."

Erin scoffed, it had never been her intention to fall for Vlad but she could never imagine slaying him, she'd chickened out of it before. "I've never been a slayer, I'm a vampire!" Erin shouted at him, "You wanted me to kill my own kind."

"You're not a true vampire!" He shook his head, "You were brought up as one of us, you could go out into the light, eat garlic…"

That meant nothing now she knew what her future would have been like, "But I couldn't have a true life, I couldn't have a family, you wouldn't even let me marry." Vlad opened his mouth to speak but he was silenced with a look.

Nigel shook his head, spitting on the ground as he said his next words. "So you took a 'Blood Partner'?"

"Vlad made me his Blood Partner so I could survive. You wanted to take me from him, this way I'm his and you can't change that. I will have a family and I will have a husband. I'm recognised as his intended mate and you can never change that. No matter what you tried to do to me… you lost."

The slayer let out a roar and threw what he'd been holding in her hand at her.

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Erin threw out her hand in an attempt to shield herself from the sharp stake although she knew that it would most likely travel through her hand and lodge itself inside her chest.

Instead the cage around her burst into blinding white light before disintegrating in front of her. He shook his head at her questioning look, he hadn't done that. Erin lowered her hand and Vlad shot out a fireball disintegrating the stake in the split second they had their conversation.

She looked at Vlad in amazement. His gaze followed hers down around her, she hesitantly reached her hand out at touched the air where the 'bars' had been to check that it wasn't an illusion.

Her hand met no resistance, there was no pain nothing. She darted towards Vlad as fast as she could. Vlad pushed her behind him.

The slayer seemed to wake up; he dove towards the device pressing a button that cut the remaining time on the device down in half.

He then lunged for them and Vlad dodged to one side but before Vlad could move Erin the slayer grabbed her foot pulling it out from underneath her and knocking her to the ground.

Erin landed with a sharp grunt, anger on her face as she flipped herself around.

Instinctively she lifted her hand towards the slayer and he jerked back as if being pulled by invisible strings. She looked at her hand, that was twice now she'd lifted her hand and something had happened.

The seconds on the timer ticked down seven… six… five…

Vlad grabbed her and yanked her from the room, upwards they wouldn't escape it quickly enough but sideways they had a chance.

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The window shattered around them as they landed on the courtyard, he rolled them so Erin landed on him. He pulled her head down as the glass landed on the ground around them. Light flickered and flashed in the room the instant they touched the cobbles.

The devastation to the building was worse than he thought. Chunks of the roof were missing and it looked as if someone had carved long, deep gouges into the walls of the building. There was no way that the building was safe for any of them in its present condition. It would barely offer them any protection from the sun.

He looked at her face his fingers tracing it and feeling small cuts that appeared as the glass had pierced her skin. "You okay?" He asked, checking her over. There was a shooting pain along his back but he ignored it in favour of checking that she was alright.

She pressed her forehead against his, "Yeah." He reached down and pressed a hand to her stomach, Erin placed her hand over his, caressing the skin there gently.

He looked upwards seeing the slayer at the window, Vlad let out a quick burst of power, nothing that would kill the slayer but it would stun him.

"How did I do that?"

"I have an idea." Vlad whispered. Erin went to place her palms on his chest but drew them back, looking at her hands in horror, pushing them under her armpits, locking them in place. "What's wrong?" He went to pull her hands free but she wouldn't move them, he wanted to see how she'd injured them – at least that's what he'd assumed she was hiding from him.

She shook her head, "I don't want to hurt you by accident." She tried to pull away, trying to place as much distance between them as possible so he could dodge in a hurry.

"You won't." He smiled at her; he grasped her wrists, and pulled her back down onto him. "Trust me." She looked at him before nodding; he drew her hands out and looked at them.

"I can collapse a sun cage." Bertrand had tested that ability when Vlad had met him. "You have some of my DNA, it completed your transformation into a vampire, maybe it gave you some powers." He suggested with a shrug.

Erin wasn't sure she believed that, "Maybe it's the baby's…"

Vlad shook his head, "Mum didn't get any of mine." Which he would be forever thankful for. Erin looked downwards. "We'll know for certain when its born." He caught her jaw, "If you have mine then we'll learn to control them together, I'm sorry…"

Erin stroked his neck lightly, "It's okay." She didn't blame him, it was a side effect and aside effects went it wasn't the worst. This meant she could protect him and their child better.

Vlad quickly looked away, rolling them and gripping her arms to pull her too her feet. "Someone's coming."

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Erin was the first to breathe a sigh of relief. "Slayers Guild." Vlad spoke quickly as soon as he saw Bertrand. He tried to touch his sister in concern but she sent him a very dirty look.

Bertrand placed Ingrid down in front of Vlad; Ingrid clung to him for support. Her legs buckling as she tried to stand, he knew it was a bad idea but he was showing her why she couldn't support herself before they argued because he hadn't really wanted to set her down but wanted to prove a point.

He raised an eyebrow at Ingrid and she nodded reluctantly, with a triumphant smirk he swept her back into his arms. "Ingrid needs to be checked over. She might have more damage, we can't do it here."

She glared at him, thunder rumbling in the air. "I'm not a child Bertrand." She'd never been injured like this so she didn't really know anything about it. Bertrand and Erin had, so had Vlad at some point but never her. Her protest weakened somewhat when she winced even more as she felt Bertrand's hands press into her ribcage and her damaged ribs as he tried to support her.

"You act like one sometimes." He snapped at her, "Now isn't time to be one." Her eyes widened at his comment and Vlad watched in amazement as Ingrid closed her mouth and went quiet. Clearly Bertrand could silence her and keep her in line much like Erin could for him. Bertrand, content that Ingrid wouldn't argue anymore, turned back to Vlad to continue the conversation, "We need to find somewhere before dawn." He told Vlad, "We can't stay in the school, not like this." There was a chance there could be more devices ready to explode and there was no telling how much more compromised the structural integrity of the building was.

Erin looked at Ingrid in concern. "Can Ingrid travel?"

Ingrid sarcastically gestured for her other half to talk for her.

"Being a vampire gives her that option." Bertrand told her softly, if she was a breather then her ribs wouldn't be able to withstand the speed they'd need to go before puncturing her lungs.

Ingrid looked at Vlad, "It has to be somewhere nearby. Somewhere under the Guild's radar." That was a given.

Vlad looked at Erin and she was the one who winced, she would regret suggesting this she knew she would. There would have to be a number of arrangements in place for them to do it, she wasn't sure Ingrid and Bertrand would like her suggestion either. "I know somewhere…"

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_I'm curious to see where people think I'm sending them._

_Thanks for reading._


	95. Flying

_A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1._

_Happy New Year!_

_I've updated. I needed to put this to one side for a little while after everything that happened (as a few friends suggested) but now I'm back and inspiration never left. I've had everything mapped out for a while, including the sequel. It will be finished._

_Is there anything in particular people would like to see in the sequel?_

Chapter 93: Flying

The air was still and calm, the night simply added to the silence as the reached their destination. The silence was disconcerting for two of the vampires but familiar for the others. Vlad and Erin landed quietly outside the church. Erin looked cautiously around the area, she could smell something and she fought not to retch. Although she wasn't certain that it was just the smell making her feel sick.

Vlad caught her gently around the waist as she stumbled to the side, her hand covering her mouth. She couldn't hold it in any more she doubled over and lost the contents of her stomach.

Bertrand held Ingrid gingerly as he tried valiantly to ignore the sounds of Erin retching. Pregnant women were more sensitive to smells; he remembered Beatrice's pregnancy all too well. Ingrid stared at Vlad, there was something wrong or something she was missing about him.

Vlad gently ran his hand across Erin's back murmuring soft words to her in Transylvanian. Erin leaned against him trying to support herself as it felt like her legs wanted to collapse from underneath her. She lifted her head and immediately regretted it. Her head swam, spinning around as if it was on a merry go round.

"I hate this part." She moaned as Vlad brushed his hand over her forehead.

Vlad kissed her temple, "It's only for a little while longer." She gave him a glare that told him she could see through his outright lie. "I love you." He tried.

"Not working." She whispered, leaning over once more. "Love you too." She eventually added before making her way across to where Bertrand was carefully placing Ingrid inside the church ruins.

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The two male vampires rummaged through the stones trying to locate the supplies that Vlad had kept there from before. "This hasn't happened before." Vlad muttered quietly, glancing towards Erin who was sweating profusely as she walked towards Ingrid, resting every few seconds. He could see her chest heaving in imitation of breathing.

Bertrand followed his gaze. "She's still early into the pregnancy. Flying might affect her now."

"We've flown before…"

"Her body's changing Vlad, what Erin might find fine one day she might struggle with one another." Bertrand told the young vampire quietly, "Things will be strange for the first part of her pregnancy. You can't assume anything."

Vlad had no other option, "I needed to get her out of there…"

Bertrand knew that, they couldn't remain at the school without a roof. "There wasn't any other choice Vlad. You wouldn't have known unless you tried. Now you know you can prepare for it. What happened with the slayer can't have helped either."

"Speeding…"

Speeding and flying were different; Vlad couldn't class them as the same thing. "She might be fine with speeding, just not flying. In a few weeks she might be okay to fly again."

Vlad looked back towards Erin, "What can I do?" Vlad knew some things about this pregnancy but he didn't know everything.

Bertrand only knew of one thing. "Make sure she gets nutrients in her."

There was only one thing that could get the nutrients back into her body. Vlad winced at the thought of Erin's answer to what he was going to do.

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Erin felt herself becoming weaker; she made her way across to the wall Vlad had leaned against so long ago when his other self was in control. She slowly eased herself down against it.

"You okay?" Ingrid asked Erin softly. Erin nodded, trying her hardest to look okay. "You look terrible."

Erin gave her a dirty look, "Thanks." She rubbed her stomach lightly.

"Is this all part of the morning sickness?" Ingrid asked her curiously.

Erin wasn't entirely sure but she didn't have any other answer that she could give her. "I think so." She rubbed her stomach even faster in soothing circles but she only felt as if she was going to retch again. She turned to one side, landing on her hands and knees as she dry heaved this time. With a shaky hand she brushed her hair from her face. It clung to her forehead in clumps. With a groan she turned herself back around and felt the wall digging into her back once more. She closed her eyes hoping that the feeling might go away but it only seemed to intensify – although it might have been psychological – so she opened them again. Her eyes were wet with the exertion of her heaving although she couldn't remember her eyes watering.

Something appeared in her vision and she glared at it. She knew who was holding it – only one person would dare to come that close to her with a bottle of that foul red liquid. It waved back and forth until she felt herself going dizzy and she grabbed it off him, nearly pulling his arm with it. "I brought this back up last time."

"Try and keep it down this time." Vlad answered with a large grin. "You need it for you and the baby."

Erin pulled off the lid, "Easier said than done." She tried to raise it to her lips hesitating each time. Vlad sat himself down next to her, pulling her to him. She pressed her damp forehead against his shirt. He stroked her hair lightly. She wasn't burning up which was a good sign. He took the bottle from her and turned her head around gently, he raised it to her lips but she pulled away before he could tip it upwards. "Can you water it down?" She whispered, wondering if it was too rich for her stomach.

He shook his head sadly; he understood why she was asking. "There's no water here remember?" She nodded; she'd been forced to drink it last time when she was more breather like because there wasn't water. "Ready?" He asked and she nodded preparing herself. "Just sip it this time."

He raised the bottle to her lips once more. She cringed as she felt the thick, crimson liquid fill her mouth. It tasted different, it tasted sweeter this time. As it reached her stomach it didn't feel as heavy as before or just sit there waiting to be brought back up. She waited patiently, Vlad watched her with cautious eyes as he waited for some kind of reaction. She didn't miss the way he arched away from her just in case she was sick over him.

She shook her head telling him she wasn't about to be sick before gesturing for the bottle again. She drank a little more this time and there still wasn't a reaction. She smiled at him, immediately she felt the blood being absorbed by her body, she began to feel much better. The nutrients were beginning to make their way around her system to where she needed them most. It was almost as if she was on a sugar low.

Vlad beamed at her, "Your tastes have changed." He wondered if it might have been because she wasn't fully converted when she'd drank it last time.

"Or it could be because I'm pregnant." She answered with a tight smile. She hoped it wouldn't change and there was no way she was going to be pregnant so soon after this child was born so she could stomach soy blood again.

She quickly finished off the remainder of the bottle, dropping it lightly to her side and closing her eyes. This time she didn't feel sick, instead she felt tired. Vlad placed a hand on her stomach and caressed it tenderly making her smile.

"Flying is out of the question." Vlad told her gently, "Bertrand thinks you can speed though." Erin nodded at the moment the thought of moving fast in any way made her feel queasy. "He thinks you might be able to later in the pregnancy though."

She wrapped her arms around his chest focusing on the sounds around her to distract her. "I'm going to be a distraction aren't I?" She could see it coming if she was going to be limited in what she could do.

"No." He answered. Erin wasn't a distraction, she never had been and she still wouldn't be. "It just means we'd better find out what you can and can't do before we face Ramanga."

Erin nodded it made sense.

Ingrid looked at her brother noticing something; it had been bugging her since they'd landed. "Why doesn't Vlad have the collar on?"

Vlad and Erin turned to each other, daring the other to answer. Vlad opened his mouth before closing it, Erin shook her head. She wasn't going to say anything. It wasn't supposed to be common knowledge that they could remove the collar when they wanted to. It was part of the bargain for being able to be together at night.

The quartet froze as they heard a branch snap.

Saved by the crack.

Vlad straightened, "I knew it wouldn't take long. Thanks for coming." He turned slowly to face the person who'd broken the twig. He knew they'd know of their arrival this time, they'd be watching them. This was all part of the arrangements Erin mentioned.

He didn't get too far before an unfamiliar, gruff voice stopped him. "Don't move."

TBC

_A/N: What do you think?_

_Is there anything in particular people would like to see in the sequel?_

_Thanks for reading._


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